Diovan is the brand name of the generic valsartan. It is a pill or capsule of prescription strength that is used in the treatment of heart failure and hypertension or high blood pressure. Diovan also may be prescribed to treat dysfunction of the heart's left ventricle following a heart attack. This kind of problem is an enlargement of the heart chamber that is the main blood pump that can cause blood to fill the lungs.
Rare Serious Side Effects
Some serious side effects of Diovan are rare, while others have been reported by patients but without documented clinical trials. Call your doctor immediately if you have any of these. Rare serious side effects include sudden breathing problems, sudden swallowing difficulties, throat soreness, a fever, chills, facial swelling, swelling of the feet or hands, swelling of the mouth, hoarseness, fainting, lightheadedness and dizziness. Those side effects for which the incidence of occurrence is unknown include eye yellowing, skin yellowing, urine discoloration, pain in the upper right portion of the abdomen, over-all weakness, over-all tiredness or discoloration of feces.
Other Serious Side Effects
The Mayo Clinic reports that other serious side effects of Diovan are classified as less common. Tell your physician immediately about these, too. They include gaining weight, urine with blood, heaviness of the legs, weakness in the legs, cold sweats, vomiting, nausea, breathing difficulties, swelling in the lower part of the legs or in the fingers, elevated blood pressure and mental confusion. Others include shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, thirstiness, an irregular heart rate called arrhythmia, appetite loss, tingling or numbing of the lips, feet and hands, nervousness and pain in one side of your body or your back.
Non-Serious Side Effects
Abdominal pain, abnormal tiredness, pain in your back, swelling in the joints, pain or redness in the joints and vision blurriness are some of the non-serious temporary side effects of Diovan. They typically recede as you continue treatment with the drug. Other side effects also categorized as less common include stiffness or pain in the muscles, flu-like effects such as a runny nose, nasal congestion or a fever, coughing, headaches, diarrhea and bodily motion difficulties. Some people also have experience a loss of hair or hair thinning, but the incidence is not known. Call a doctor if these side effects continue.
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