Valsartan, also known as Diovan, is a
hypertension drug manufactured by Novartis AG. Valsartan works by blocking a substance that causes blood vessels to tighten.
In October 2001, the Food and Drug Administration approved Valsartan for use in patients suffering from
heart failure. In a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Valsartan showed mixed results when combined with
beta blockers and ACE inhibitors, two common
treatments for heart failure. The study, conducted by Dr. Jay Cohn of the University of Minnesota Medical School, found that combining Valsartan with beta blockers
and ACE inhibitors actually increased the risk of death from heart failure. Only when patients used Valsartan alone or
with only one of the two drug types did chances of survival increase.
See Also
- Blood Pressure Drugs: Overview