switch from altace to diovan

[colliegirl]

Hello all and zuzu - I have been reading the posts and decided to ask a question. I was recently put on altace in April after being on Ziac for 3 years. The ziac was making my heart rate fall too low (40's) but BP still elevated so we changed to the ACE inhibitors for a try. The altace 2.5 kept my BP in a very good range.......although I developed the cough. Every time I would lay down to rest or sleep it would come on with a vengence. I also have GERD/allergies so may have contributed to the problem......although seemed much worse on the altace.

Then I developed trouble getting a deep breath a few weeks ago.........called the pharmacist and she said that the altace interference with the breakdown of bradykinin could contribute to a build up of the natural irritant in my lungs and may have contributed to the difficulty getting a deep breath??? I went to the Doc to switch meds again...........put me on Diovan.....tried 80 mg........although even at 160 mgs. not keeping the BP down very well. Runs 125 - 135/ 88-98 most of the time and sometimes even higher. The cough is definately better but I am frustrated with the BP results............thought of going back on altace and giving it another try. I don't have a Doc's appt. till first week of Jan.......due to holiday travel and company. The Pharmacist told me I could easily switch back (without weaning) as they are in the same class of drugs............sort of afraid the Doc will be upset that I switched without checking with her first...........although I pay out of pocket on most of my med. care......I have self employed ins..........high ded.........$5000.00 and everytime I go in - the office visit costs me $85.00. So I thought of switching back for the next few weeks to get it back down.........and see if I can tolerate the altace. I have a cough due to GERD and allergies anyway so who knows how much the altace was contributing to it all. I tolerated it well otherwise.............what do you think zuzu and all?? I still have a script for the altace.........so easy to switch back .........thanks............colliegirl

[zuzu8]

Colliegirl-
If you want to try the Altace again, as your phrmacist said, there should be no problem, although it couldn't hurt to simply try to reach your doctor via phone if you feel more comfortable doing so.

Are you on straight Diovan or Diovan HCT? If you are not on the combo with HCTZ, that might be worth investigating. No cough and hopefully a thiazide boost for your blood pressure.

zuzu xx

[zip2play]

Colliegirl,

I wouldn't bother with the switch just for a couple weeks. Going to doc with the DIOVAN will show her that you're getting poor control with the ARB...and who needs to cough all through the holidays. My guess is that she will plop you into a calcium channel blocker with a thaizide chaser....yummy.

My cardiologist just pulled me off Cozaar...he said it's just a weak class of drugs (I agree wholeheartedly).
Nice for the no side effects but not with poor control...then just a waste of money.

[zuzu8]

ZIP- Newsflash!
SEPT 2002-The FDA approved a labeling change for AstraZeneca's ARB, ATACAND(candesartan cilexetil), allowing the company to say it is superior to Merck's high blood pressure drug COZAAR (losartan). In making the decision, the FDA agreed with its Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee, which concluded July 18 that clinical results showed Atacand performed better than Cozaar.

Interesting, no?

zuzu xx

[zip2play]

zuzu,
Interesting, yes!
But increasing the Cozaar claims of 10 ish systolic reduction to 12ish won't cut the mustard!

Tell me what kind of BP reduction ASTRAZENICA's tests showed for ATACAND.

After a week of Norvasc (channel blocker) I'll be a psychotic suicide if I have to depend on them for BP reduction....worst drug I have EVER taken in my entire long life....WORDS FAIL ME on how awful I feel...!
Long term amphetamines in the 60's was mother's milk compared to this truly ROTTEN, ROTTEN, ROTTEN drug!

Though MD want's me to take them through the 29th, it is not humanly possible.

I'll have to go back to 100 mg. Cozaar, 50 mg Atenolol, and 25 mg HCTZ til I see him....If it doesn't work well enough to suit him, then that's tough t&tty! Having a corpse pulled into his office pumped with Norvasc and atenolol for angiography won't do either of us much good!

Oh yeah, complete impotence but total inability to sleep for a week!!!
I've complained about how miserable a class of drugs BP meds are....well, the channel blockers make them all seem like LUDEN'S in comparison!