DIOVAN 320 MG 28 TAB.

Diovan belongs to a group of medicines called angiotensin II receptor antagonists (AIIRAs).

Hypertension 

Diovan is used to control high blood pressure, also called hypertension. Everyone has blood pressure. This pressure helps get your blood around your body. Your blood pressure may be different at different times of the day, depending on how busy or worried you are. You have hypertension when your blood pressure stays higher than is needed, even when you are calm and relaxed. 

Heart Failure 

Diovan is used to treat heart failure. Heart failure means that the heart muscle cannot pump blood strongly enough to supply all the blood needed throughout the body. Heart failure is not the same as heart attack and does not mean that the heart stops. Diovan helps the heart to function better and relieves some of the symptoms of heart failure. 

Heart Attack 

Diovan is also used to treat people after they have had a heart attack (myocardial infarction) to reduce the risk of further heart damage and reduce further heart problems. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you. Your doctor may have prescribed it for another purpose.

When you must not take it 

• Do not take Diovan if you have ever had an allergic reaction.
• Do not take Diovan if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.
• Do not take Diovan if you have liver disease caused by a blockage in the bile duct or any other severe liver disease.
• Do not take Diovan if you are also taking other blood pressure lowering medicines containing aliskiren and have type 2 diabetes.
• Do not take Diovan after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.

Side effects 

Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Diovan, even if you do not think it is connected with the medicine. All medicines can have side effects. It can be serious, but most of the time it isn't. If you experience some side effects, you may need to see a doctor. Don't be surprised at this list of possible side effects. You cannot experience any of them.  Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer all your questions. 

Tell your doctor if you notice any of these side effects and they worry you: 

• Headache 
• Dizziness, spinning sensation (vertigo) 
• Sleepiness, tiredness or weakness 
• Diarrhoea, constipation or wind 
• Nausea (feeling sick), vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach pains or indigestion 
• Dry cough, sore throat or hoarse voice 
• Blistering skin 
• Runny nose or congested sinuses 
• Pain in the back or joints 
• Muscle pain or cramps 
• Difficulty sleeping 
• Feeling anxious 
• Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet 
• Problems with sexual function 

Tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital if you notice any of the following: 

• Signs of allergy such as rash, itching or hives on the skin, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other part of the body, fever, shortness of breath, wheezing or troubled breathing
• Feeling of fast or irregular heart beat (pounding, racing, skipping beats) 
• Chest pain 
• Shortness of breath not caused by exercise, with swelling of legs or feet 
• Tiredness or lack of energy, being short of breath when exercising, dizziness and looking pale 
• Constant "flulike" symptoms such as chills, fever, sore throat, aching joints, sores in mouth, swollen glands 
• Severe dizziness or fainting 
• Liver disease with nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, feeling generally unwell, fever, itching, yellowing of the skin and eyes, and dark coloured urine 

The above side effects may be serious. You may need urgent medical attention. Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell. Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.