Health Centres - Aprovel
How does it work?
Aprovel tablets contain the active ingredient irbesartan, which is a type of medicine called an angiotensin II receptor antagonist. It works by preventing the action of a hormone in the body called angiotensin II.
Angiotensin II normally acts on special receptors in the body, with two main results. Firstly, it causes the peripheral blood vessels to narrow, and secondly, it stimulates the production of another hormone called aldosterone. Aldosterone causes salt and water to be retained by the kidneys, which increases the volume of fluid in the blood vessels.
Irbesartan blocks the receptors that angiotensin II acts on, and so prevents its actions. The main result of this is that the peripheral blood vessels are allowed to widen, which means that there is more space and less resistance in these blood vessels. This lowers the pressure inside the blood vessels.
Blocking the actions of angiotensin II also reduces the action of aldosterone on the kidneys. The result of this is an increase in the amount of fluid removed from the blood by the kidneys. This decreases the amount of fluid in the blood vessels, which also lessens the resistance and pressure in the blood vessels.
The combined overall effect of these changes is to lower the blood pressure.
What is it used for?
-
High blood pressure with no known cause
-
Kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure
Warning!
- Dizziness and weariness may occasionally occur during treatment with blood pressure lowering medicines. If you are affected, caution is required when driving or operating machinery.
- People with decreased kidney function should have regular blood tests to monitor the levels of potassium and creatinine in their blood while taking this medicine.
- People with heart failure or diabetic kidney disease should have regular blood tests to monitor the level of potassium in their blood while taking this medicine.
- People with high blood pressure caused by high levels of the hormone aldosterone (primary hyperaldosteronism) do not generally respond to this type of blood pressure lowering medicine, and it is not recommended for these people.
- The safety and efficacy of this medicine in children has not been studied by the manufacturer.
Use with caution in
- Decreased kidney function
- People having haemodialysis for kidney failure
- Narrowing of the artery which supplies blood to the kidneys (renal artery stenosis)
- Heart disease caused by inadequate blood flow to the heart
- Heart disease characterised by thickening of the internal heart muscle and a blockage inside the heart (hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy)
- Severe heart failure
- Heart valve disease
- Narrowing of the main artery of the body (aortic stenosis)
- People with low fluid volume or salt levels in the body, eg due to diuretic therapy, low-sodium diet, diarrhoea or vomiting
Not to be used in
-
Second and third trimesters of pregnancy
-
Breastfeeding
- Rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, the Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption (Aprovel tablets contain lactose)
This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.
- This medicine should not be used in pregnancy, particularly in the second and third trimesters, as it may affect the growth and development of the foetus or have adverse effects on foetal tissues. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
- It is not known if irbesartan passes into breast milk. For this reason, the manufacturer states that it should not be used during breastfeeding. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
Side effects
Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
- Dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue
- A drop in blood pressure that occurs when going from lying down to sitting or standing, which results in dizziness and lightheadedness (postural hypotension)
- Pain in muscles or bones (musculoskeletal pain)
- Diarrhoea
- Indigestion (dyspepsia)
- Increased heart rate (tachycardia)
- Flushing
- Cough
- High blood potassium level (hyperkalaemia)
- Chest pain
- Sexual problems
- Allergic reactions such as itchy, blistering skin rash (urticaria) or swelling of the lips, tongue and throat (angioedema)
- Decreased kidney function
- Headache
- Sensation of ringing or other noise in the ears (tinnitus)
- Muscle cramps
- Abnormal liver function
The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer.
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