[sodpoodle]

Check your prescriptions!!!

[EQAndyBuzz]

I’m screwed! Been taking it for several years.

[catnipman]

bad news ... but valsartan itself is OK ... generic versions (including combo drugs) have manufacturing impurities that cause cancer ...

[Mariner]

There’s probably 10 million Americans taking HCTZ (Diuretic). But, buy far, most of them ARE NOT taking the HCTZ with Valsartan.

[rlmorel]

People need to be careful about this. I honestly pay little attention to these types of things, expecially when you read the text. Here is the text from the article:

---

"...The recall is due to the presence of the impurity, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which was found in the recalled products, according to an FDA statement. NDMA is an organic chemical that is in a family of potent carcinogens. It has been used to make liquid rocket fuel, softeners and lubricants, among other products. It can also be unintentionally produced through certain chemical reactions and is a byproduct from some pesticide manufacturing, the making of rubber tires or fish processing.

Animal studies have shown that NDMA can be toxic and cause tumors in the liver, kidney and respiratory tract. It can also be potentially harmful to humans in certain quantities. Exposure to high levels can cause liver damage and is a probable human carcinogen, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Novartis spokesman Eric Althoff said after the initial recall last week that products sold in the US were not affected by this recall, but the FDA’s ongoing review and laboratory tests found otherwise. “The presence of of NDMA was unexpected and is thought to be related to changes in the way the active substance was manufactured,” the FDA release said.

“The amounts of NDMA found in Valsartan API are much lower than the cumulative endogenous production and usual external exposure of NDMA,” Althoff wrote in an email July 6. “There is no certainty as to how much this contaminant may potentially increase cancer risk in humans. Thus, the amount of NDMA found in the Valsartan API would not represent a significantly increased risk to the patients taking of Sandoz Valsartan and Sandoz Valsartan HCT Film coated tablets.”

---

So...you get more exposure to it just walking around and existing, or having your body produce it at some level (which it sounds like it must, otherwise why would it say that? Granted that is from Novartis and should be taken with a grain of salt as well.

Thing is, if you have heart failure and are taking HCTZ, there may be a better alternative, or there may not be. Your risk of going into heart failure far, Far, FAR outweighs any apparent cancer risk, if I read the text of this correctly.

Good to be cautious about these kinds of things.

[Red Badger]

THAT’S MY STUFF!...................

[stylecouncilor]

Ping

[oblomov]

Original brand name = Diovan

[ifinnegan]

Everyone should read rlmorel’s post 6.

Realize this is precautionary.

[i_robot73]

Wow, it’s a good thing we have an (illegal/anti-A1S8) FDA to protect the People before these types of drugs get Rx’d

Wait. What?!

Never mind.

Sure isn’t those HURT getting anything from any of the trials that’ll soon sprint up either.

[Sans-Culotte]

I take Valsartan/HCT; have for years. According to my bottle from OptumRX, mine is made by Mcleods.

[onedoug]

Auribindo not mentioned.
I’d expect to get a letter from my doc shortly.

[lonevoice]

bkmk

[luvie]

I take generic “hydrochlorot”. Have no clue what’s in it but it works for me and I HATE changing prescriptions. I don’t think that’s good for a person to change drugs all the time. Stick with what works best for you and argue with the doctor if they want to change what works.

[sodpoodle]

Neighbor saw a local news report on this and checked her RX. CVS advised to bring the RX in to check reference #’s.

I am not in the medical field, but thought it might be of interest to those of us who are on HTN and heart medicine.

Check with your doctor and pharmacist for reassurance.

God bless
sod

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Bkmrk.

[PghBaldy]

My mom takes this! I used to take it when I smoked & had HBP.

[umgud]

I also hear it causes diarrhea and constipation, sleeplessness and sleepiness.

[SuperLuminal]

Bump for later reading

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

I take generic Valsartan, but mine is not from any of the named companies, so I’m going to continue unless told differently by my doctor or pharmacist.