Valzaar-H (Valsartan/Hydrochlorothiazide 80mg/12.5mg) Tablets

Valzaar-H general information

What is Valzaar-H used for?

Cardiovascular disease covers a range of heart and circulation problems.  Defined risk factors can increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease.  These risk factors include having high blood cholesterol levels that can result in blocked arteries.  High blood pressure can damage your artery walls and increase stress on your heart.  Lifestyle factors like obesity and smoking can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease; also condition like diabetes.  Cardiovascular disease includes conditions like heart failure, which is when the heart muscles are weakened and cannot pump blood efficiently.  Coronary heart disease is when arteries of the heart become blocked and hardened, which can result in angina (chest pain).  Heart attack is a result of blocked blood flow to the heart muscle, resulting in heart muscle cell damage.  A stroke is the result of a blockage in a blood vessel in the brain or a bleed into the brain, which can cause brain cells to die if not treated quickly.  Valzaar-H tablets 80/12.5mg are combination medicine used to treat high blood pressure that is not well controlled by a single medication, to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. 

High blood pressure

Blood pressure is the force of your heart pumping blood around the body, combined with the resistance of the artery walls to the blood, as it is forced into the circulation.  Two blood pressure measurements indicate whether your blood pressure is within the normal range.  Systolic pressure measures the force generated by the heart contracting with each heartbeat as it pumps blood out into the arteries.  Diastolic pressure is the resting phase between each heartbeat when the heart muscle relaxes and the heart fills with blood.  When your blood pressure is measured, it is expressed as systolic pressure (the highest measure) over diastolic pressure (the lowest measure). 

If the arteries become narrowed or constricted, this increases their resistance, and more force is needed to pump blood around the body.  This causes hypertension, which is high blood pressure when your body is relaxed and at rest.  Essential hypertension is high blood pressure with usually no obvious and identifiable cause.  High blood pressure puts a strain on the heart by increasing its workload and its need for more oxygen.  The extra force of blood in the circulation can damage blood vessels, especially smaller blood vessels, such as those in the kidneys, which can lead to kidney damage.  Hypertension increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke and heart attack.  There are usually no symptoms of high blood pressure, so you will only know if you have high blood pressure by having a check. 

How does Valzaar-H work?

Valzaar-H tablets 80mg/12.5mg contain valsartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) and hydrochlorothiazide, a thiazide diuretic that are used in combination to treat hypertension to lower high blood pressure. 

Angiotensin II is a hormone produced from its precursor angiotensin I, by the action of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) mainly in the lungs but also the blood vessel wall and the kidneys.  Angiotensin II is involved in the renin-angiotensin system that regulates blood pressure.  It has several actions that include causing blood vessels to constrict and narrow (vasoconstriction).  Angiotensin II also regulates fluid balance by promoting salt (sodium and potassium) and water retention by the kidneys, which determines the amount of water removed from the blood by the kidneys.  These actions of Angiotensin II increase blood volume while at the same time reducing blood vessel volume, which increases blood pressure.  Angiotensin II works through a specific receptor on the surface of cells in blood vessels and the kidneys called the Angiotensin II Receptor. 

Valsartan in Valzaar-H tablets 80mg/12.5mg blocks the binding of Angiotensin II to its receptor in various tissues where Angiotensin II exerts its actions.  This prevents the pressor actions of Angiotensin II (blood pressure increasing) by causing blood vessel dilation or widening and increasing amount of salt and water removed by the kidneys into the urine.  The combination of these two actions lowers blood pressure.  

Hydrochlorothiazide in Valzaar-H tablets 80mg/12.5mg acts directly on the kidneys at the region of the distal convoluted tubule.  This is where salt balance is regulated by the reabsorption of sodium ions (Na) and chlorine ion (Cl) back into the blood from the urine.  This process is mediated by a Na-Cl transporter in the kidney cells of the distal convoluted tubule.  Hydrochlorothiazide binds to a receptor on these cells and blocks the action of the Na-Cl transporter.  This action inhibits the reabsorption of sodium and chlorine ions and promotes the removal of salts and water from the blood, which increase the urine volume and decreases blood volume. 

The combined action of valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide in Valzaar-H tablets 80mg/12.5mg reduces blood pressure to a greater extent than taking one of these medicines alone.

What does Valzaar-H contain?

Valzaar-H tablets 80mg/12.5mg contains the active ingredient valsartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) and hydrochlorothiazide, a thiazide diuretic that are used in combination to treat hypertension to lower high blood pressure. 

What are the side effects of Valzaar-H?

Most medications have some side effects, but they are not experienced by everyone.  Some side effects are commonly experienced when taking Valzaar-H tablets 80mg/12.5mg, but others are not so common, and you should discuss any problems or concerns with your primary care physician. 

Common side effects when taking Valzaar-H include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, hypotension (low blood pressure), orthostatic hypotension (low blood pressure when getting up from sitting or lying down), rash, kidney dysfunction, changes in blood salts, erectile dysfunction.

When should Valzaar-H not be used?

Have a talk with your primary healthcare physician before taking Valzaar-H tablets 80mg/12.5mg so that you have a full understanding of what this medicine is for and how to use it.  There are some reasons for not taking a medication; these are called contraindications, and for Valzaar-H you should consider the following before taking Valzaar-H:

• Have you ever had an unusual reaction or an allergy when taking Valzaar-H?
• Are you pregnant or breastfeeding?
• Do you have any problems with your kidneys or your liver?
• Do you have primary hyperaldosteronism, a condition that can increase blood pressure?
• Are you are suffering from a narrowing of the kidney artery, called renal artery stenosis?
• Do you have trouble passing urine?

What medications interact with Valzaar-H?

Some medicines interact with Valzaar-H tablets 80mg/12.5mg and may affect the way it works, or are affected by Valzaar-H or increase side effects; you should discuss possible interactions with your primary care physician.  These may include other antihypertensives like ACE inhibitors, potassium-sparing diuretics like spironolactone, potassium tablets or potassium-containing salt substitutes, lithium for mood swings, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAID), digoxin for heart failure, corticosteroids like prednisone, barbiturates for epilepsy like phenobarbitone, insulin and other diabetic medications like metformin, narcotic analgesics like codeine, cholestyramine and colestipol for high cholesterol, muscle relaxants like tubocurarine, adrenaline for emergency treatment. 

If other medications may interact with Valzaar-H, your doctor will discuss these with you. 

How should Valzaar-H be taken and for how long?

You should take your Valzaar-H tablets 80mg/12.5mg swallowed whole with a glass of water, with or without food once daily, at the same time each day.  The dose you take depends on what you are being treated for and your doctor’s recommendation.  It may take up to 4 weeks for Valzaar-H tablets 80mg/12.5mg to become fully effective in reducing your blood pressure.  Valzaar-H will help control your blood pressure but will not cure it, so you should continue to take your Valzaar-H tablets 80mg for as long as recommended by your doctor, to keep your blood pressure down to normal levels. 

Missed dose of Valzaar-H

If you miss a dose of Valzaar-H tablets 80mg/12.5mg take it as soon as you remember, unless it is time to take the next dose, then skip the missed dose.  Do not take a double dose.

How should Valzaar-H be stored?

You should store your Valzaar-H tablets 80mg/12.5mg below 25°C in a cool, dry place.