Hypertension is perhaps the most common and, of course, a very unpleasant disease. One of its forms, which has a chronic course, is called essential social hypertension. A variety of medications can be used to treat this serious illness. Often, patients with essential social hypertension are prescribed, for example, the effective drug “Irbesartan”. Analogs of this medication can also help with hypertension well.
Composition and form of release
This medicine is marketed in the form of coated tablets. The main active ingredient of the drug is irbesartan itself. This medicine belongs to antihypertensive drugs. Irbesartan is relatively inexpensive. In pharmacies, depending on the supplier, it can be purchased for 260-300 r. (28 tablets).
Indications and contraindications for use
Analogs of Irbesartan, the instructions for the use of which will be discussed below, may be prescribed instead of this medication in case of intolerance to the patient of its components or impossibility of acquisition due to the absence in the pharmacy. Further in the article we will talk about substitutes for this tool. Now we will understand what this medicine itself is, and how to properly take it.
This drug is prescribed mainly for primary hypertension. Sometimes it is prescribed for secondary. Also, the drug can beneficially affect the body of patients with a disease such as nephropathy with type 2 diabetes and hypertension. However, in this case, the drug "Irbesartan" is used only in combination with other drugs.
There are no special contraindications for this medication. You can not take it only to people who are allergic to any of its components. Also, the use of this medicine is not allowed for pregnant and breast-feeding women, children under 18 years of age. In some cases, this drug should be taken with caution. Under close medical supervision, he is drunk, for example, in diseases such as hyponatremia and dehydration.
What side effects can have
The use of "Irbesartan" is possible only as directed by a doctor. In pharmacies, this tool is sold by prescription. Side effects Irbesartan can give a variety of. For example, a patient may experience the following problems:
headache or dizziness;
tachycardia;
state of anxiety;
respiratory tract infections, rhinitis with fever;
diarrhea, heartburn, nausea, and vomiting;
musculoskeletal pain.
Sometimes this medicine also gives an unpleasant side effect such as a urinary tract infection or abdominal pain.
How does the medicine work?
The drug Irbesartan from the digestive tract is absorbed very quickly and well. Its active substance reaches its maximum concentration in blood plasma after 1.5-2 hours after administration. In the patient’s body, this medicine blocks AT1 receptors, reducing the biological effects of agiotensin II, stimulates the release of aldosterone and activates the sympathetic nervous system. As a result of all this, the patient has a decrease in blood pressure.
This drug is excreted from the patient's body with urine and bile.
Instruction manual
Take Irbesartan tablets by drinking water. The initial dose of this medication is usually 150 mg once daily. You can take the drug both before meals, and during or later. For elderly patients, as well as patients at risk for contraindications, doctors usually prescribe an initial dose of 75 mg. The maximum amount of the drug that the patient can take per day is 300 mg.
The best analogues of Irbesartan
If there are contraindications for taking these pills or for any other reason, the doctor may prescribe substitutes for the patient. Most often, drugs with a similar therapeutic effect are used for treatment, such as Aprovel, Valzan, Losartal or Irsar.
All these analogues of Ibersartan also earned relatively good reviews from patients and doctors.
Aprovel medicine: release form and indications
The main active ingredient in this drug is irbesartan. That is, in fact, it refers to the synonyms of the means described by us. Indications for use with this medicine are exactly the same as with Irbesartan. It is used mainly for primary hypertension and nephropathy in combination with other agents. His side effects are the same as those of Irbesartan. This medicine is prescribed in the same dosages.
Many of Irbesartan's analogues have earned good patient reviews. But the best opinion among patients and doctors was about the Aprovel substitute. This medicine is more expensive than Irbesartan. For 28 tablets of this product will have to pay 550-650 p. However, the drug is produced by the famous French company Sanofi-Winthrop . That is, in fact, is a brand quality substitute for Irbesartan.
The drug "Irsar"
Doctors prescribe this analogue for essential hypertension also quite often. The active substance in it is irbesartan. This medicine is marketed in the form of conventional tablets with risk. Indications, contraindications and instructions for use with him are no different from Irbesartan. This medicine is worth about 350-450 p. for 28 tablets. But sometimes in pharmacies it is also offered for 600-650 r.
The drug "Valzan"
The Irbesartan analogs described above are based on the same active ingredient. But this medicine has substitutes with a different composition. The main active ingredients in the medicine "Valzan", for example, are hydrochlorothiazite and valsartan. This medicine is supplied to the market in the form of tablets in blisters. Instead of Irbesartan, it can be prescribed for arterial hypertension. Also, indications for the use of this medication are recent heart attack and chronic heart failure.
You can not take "Valzan" for severe liver diseases, pregnancy, while breastfeeding. Also, this remedy is not prescribed for children under 18 years of age. Side effects of this drug can give almost the same as Irbesartan. The medicine "Valzan" is inexpensive. For 30 tablets of this product in a pharmacy you will need to pay about 15-20 p.
The initial dose of this medicine is 80 mg once daily. Over the next two weeks, it usually increases to 160 mg per day. In especially severe cases, the patient can take up to 320 mg per day.
Medication "Losartan"
Some analogues of Irbesartan in Russia can be purchased cheaper. This concerns not only the medicine "Valzan", but also, for example, the drug "Lozartan." It is also quite an effective substitute for Irbesartan. The main active ingredient in this medicine is losartan potassium. The drug is produced in coated tablets. “Losartan” can be prescribed to patients with arterial hypertension, heart failure, and in some other cases.
This drug has a few more contraindications than the drugs described above. In addition to pregnancy and childhood, this medicine should not be drunk, for example, with dehydration, severe renal failure, simultaneously with Aliskiren. This medicine costs about 60-100 rubles on the market for a package of 30 tablets.
The opinion of patients about the drug "Irbesartan"
Thus, we figured out what the Irbesartan preparation itself represents (instructions for use, analogues). Reviews about this medicine are mostly only positive. The pressure reduces the medication well. However, taking it to get the best effect, according to many patients, should be a long time.