Avapro

Avapro, generically named Irbesartan, is among a group of drugs known as angiotensin II inhibitor anti-hypertensives. This group of drugs is used as treatment for patients having hypertension or high blood pressure.

When hypertension occurs, the heart and the arteries become overloaded with work. If this stress buildup lasts for a longer period, this could lead to malfunctioning of the arteries and the heart. Furthermore, damage may occur in the brain, kidneys and heart that will result to kidney failure, heart failure and stroke. When there is high blood pressure, the chances of heart attack are high. With this, the doctor recommends a medicine that will maintain and control blood pressure.

Avapro does its job by preventing the activity of a certain chemical that constricts the blood vessels. When blood vessels are more relaxed, hypertension is prevented and keeps the blood pressure in the patient low.

Before taking this medicine, it is best to see a doctor first. Certain medical conditions may worsen if Avapro is taken. The doctor will need to check on conditions like heart failure, liver disease, kidney disease, swallowing difficulty, throat problems, breathing difficulty, swelling of the lips, face or tongue, electrolyte imbalance, or high or low potassium level of the blood, using potassium as a low salt diet, uncommon allergic reactions to food, drugs, dyes, preservatives and other Avapro ingredients. The doctor will also consider pregnancy and breast feeding of the patient.

Some drugs can cause interaction with Avapro. This may cause delicate reaction and may hinder the treating effect of Avapro in the body. Some of the drugs that interact with Avapro are: potassium sparing diuretics, amiloride, triamterene, voriconazole, rifampin, potassium subsititutes, MAO or monoamine oxidase inhibitors such as Azilect, Zelapar, Parnate, Marplan, Eldepryl, Emsam, Nardil, lithium, delavirdine, bosentan, drugs for high blood pressure, imatinib, fluconazole, hawthorn, Motrin, ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The doctor should also be informed of the other OTC drugs, herbal preparation, herbal drugs and use of nutrition supplements, intake of alcoholic drinks, caffeinated beverages, cigarette smoking and use of illegal drugs.

Once given the prescription, make sure you are familiar with the doctor’s instructions about using Avapro. Take Avapro tablet whole. Then follow up intake with plenty of water. Have a good posture when swallowing Avapro tablet to facilitate the intake. You may take the medicine with meal. You may also take Avapro apart from food. Ask the doctor about the proper diet to be taken along with Avapro medication. This will ensure that the medicine is absorbed by the body.

Be on time with the dosing and be consistent with the schedule. Make it a habit to drink your dose on the same time daily to help you remember your dosing. If you forget your dose, you can just resume intake on the next schedule. But do not increase your dose to catch up with the missed one. Notify your doctor about this incident.

Some side effects of Avapro are serious and may need to be reported to your doctor once they occur. These side effects however are rare but if they do occur, they may be signs that your body is reacting differently to the drug or you could have taken something that triggered its occurrence. Serious but rare Avapro side effects are breathing difficulty, swallowing difficulty, skin rashes, affected sexual activity, swelling of the lips, feet, hands, tongue or face, throat problems, lightheadedness, low urine passage, dizziness and palpitations. Less serious side effects of Avapro are muscle cramps, diarrhea, coughing, tiredness and stomach upsetting.

While under this medication, the doctor recommends the patient to refrain from mentally and physically exhausting activities. Check with your doctor regularly to monitor the progress of your medication. Do not disrupt medication or discontinue without consulting your doctor.