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AIFA, the Italian pharmaceutical agency, had ordered in recent days the withdrawal from the market of Valsartan-based drugs, an active ingredient used to treat hypertension and heart failure , in Italy, for the presence of an impurity potentially carcinogenic for a total of 700 lots. The provision also concerned other countries in the world, including many EU countries, such as Germany, Spain, France and Portugal, for n & # 39; to name a few, causing hundreds of thousands of patients to panic. The decision was taken as a result of checks that revealed impurities during the production of the active ingredient by Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals Company in the Chuannan factory in Linai, China . Here's all you need to know about Valsartan weaning and what are the real health risks.
Do not panic: talk to your doctor before stopping your treatment
First, the impurity in question, it could go back to 2012, as the said EMA, the European Medicines Authority, but he also pointed out that there is no immediate risk to patients . For this reason, while the badyzes continue to shed light on this issue, the same agency advises people who regularly used not to suspend treatment before talking to their doctor. Ema is still evaluating the possible long-term effects. Do not forget that not all drugs containing this active ingredient have been recalled. After the booster, only the distribution of the Ndma-containing ingredient was stopped, while the others, which contain Valsartan also in combination with amlodipine, were not considered in the decision. The advice is to read on the package purchased the origin of the drug or seek advice from your trusted pharmacy.
Alternatives to Valsartan-based Drugs
Anyone who regularly uses lots of Valsartan-based medications retirees may discuss possible alternatives with your doctor. But you must wait for the advice of a specialist before stopping therapy. The diseases that this type of drugs usually serve to cure, namely hypertension and heart failure, are very serious and care must be taken not to make the situation worse, they warned by the press. American Heart Association, which suggests "instead of products with valsartan to use generic drugs or others of the same category, that of the angiotensin II receptor antagonists (Arb) .Also, even outside this category , there are several antihypertensives also effective but the prescription is different from one subject to the other ". Those who change treatment should measure the body pressure several times during the day and share the results with their doctor because the body may not respond immediately and positively to the new therapy.
The real risks for patients
The decision to withdraw from the market this type of medication was taken not to let patients who use it risk contracting the contraction of cancer . At the moment we do not know the real dangers derived from the long-term ingestion of Ndma (N-nitrosodimethylamine), although we certainly counted the amount of this molecule which, in case of abundant ingestion, may to be a real poison. According to laboratory studies, it has been noted that in rats this toxin can cause liver fibrosis or liver tumors, so it is thought that it can be harmful to humans, but it is not confirmed yet. However, according to experts, there is no need for alarmism because the recall was done as patient safety measure .
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