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Valsartan (Diovan): Uses, Side Effects and Dosage

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Facts
Status:
Prescription (Rx) Boxed warning
Strength:
40 mg, 80 mg, 160 mg, 320 mg
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Source: FDA drug labeling via NLM DailyMed · About this document

Patient information: uses, side effects, how to take - Valsartan

What is the most important information I should know about valsartan tablets?

Valsartan tablets can cause harm or death to an unborn baby.

  • Talk to your healthcare provider about other ways to lower your blood pressure if you plan to become pregnant.
  • If you become pregnant during treatment with valsartan tablets, stop taking valsartan and tell your healthcare provider right away.

What are valsartan tablets?Valsartan tablets are a prescription medicine used in:

  • adults and children 1 year of age and older to lower high blood pressure (hypertension). Valsartan tablets may be used alone or in combination with other blood pressure medicines.
  • adults to treat heart failure. Valsartan tablets may help decrease your need for hospitalization that happens with heart failure.
  • adults with certain types of heart failure, to increase the chance of living longer after a heart attack (myocardial infarction).

Valsartan tablets should not be used to treat high blood pressure in children less than 1 year of age.

It is not known if valsartan tablets are safe and effective in children with certain kidney problems.

Do not take valsartan tablets if you:

  • are allergic to any of the ingredients in valsartan tablets. See the end of this leaflet for a complete list of ingredients in valsartan tablets.
  • have diabetes and are also taking aliskiren. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are not sure.

Before taking valsartan tablets, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions including, if you:

  • have heart problems
  • have kidney problems

  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. See “What is the most important information I should know about valsartan tablets?

  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if valsartan passes into your breast milk. You should not breastfeed during treatment with valsartan tablets. Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby during your treatment with valsartan tablets.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take including prescription and over- the-counter medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. Valsartan tablets may affect the way other medicines work.

Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take:

  • other medicines for high blood pressure or a heart problem
  • water pills (also called “diuretics”)
  • potassium-containing medicines, potassium supplements or salt substitutes containing potassium. Your healthcare provider may check the amount of potassium in your blood regularly.
  • nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Lithium. Your healthcare provider will check the amount of lithium in your blood regularly.

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of your medicines with you to show to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when a new medicine is prescribed. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist before you start taking any new medicine.

How should I take valsartan tablets?

  • Take valsartan tablets exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
  • For treatment of high blood pressure, take valsartan tablets 1 time each day
  • For children: Your pharmacist will mix valsartan tablets as a liquid suspension for your child, if:
  • your child is 1 to 5 years of age, or
  • your child is older than 5 years of age and cannot swallow tablets, or
  • if tablets are not available in the prescribed strength needed for your child
  • If your child switches between taking the tablet and the suspension, your healthcare provider will adjust the dose as needed.
  • Shake the bottle of suspension well for at least 10 seconds before pouring the dose of medicine to give to your child.
  • For adults with heart failure or who have had a heart attack, take valsartan tablets 2 times each day. Your healthcare provider may start you on a low dose of valsartan tablets and may increase the dose during your treatment.

  • Valsartan tablets can be taken with or without food.

  • If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is close to your next dose, do not take the missed dose. Take the next dose at your regular time.

If you take too much valsartan, call your healthcare provider, or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.

What are the possible side effects of valsartan tablets?

  • Valsartan tablets can cause serious side effects, including: See “What is the most important information I should know about valsartan tablets?”
  • Low blood pressure (hypotension). Low blood pressure can happen with valsartan tablets, especially when you first start taking it and can cause you to feel lightheaded. Feeling lightheaded is most likely to happen if you:
  • take water pills o are dehydrated (decreased body fluids) due to vomiting and diarrhea
  • are on a low-salt diet o you sweat excessively
  • get dialysis treatments o have heart problems
  • do not drink enough liquids

Lie down, if you feel lightheaded, dizzy or faint. Call your healthcare provider right away.

  • Kidney problems. Kidney problems may get worse in people that already have kidney disease or heart problems. Your doctor may do blood tests to check for this.
  • Increased potassium in your blood. Some people may develop increased potassium in the blood during treatment with valsartan tablets. Your doctor may do a blood test to check your potassium levels as needed.

The most common side effects of valsartan tablets when used to treat people with high blood pressure include:

  • headache
  • dizziness
  • flu symptoms
  • tiredness
  • stomach (abdominal) pain

The most common side effects of valsartan tablets when used to treat people with heart failure include: • dizziness

  • low blood pressure
  • diarrhea
  • joint and back pain
  • tiredness
  • high blood potassium

The most common side effects of valsartan tablets when used to treat people after a heart attack that cause them to stop taking valsartan tablets include:

  • low blood pressure
  • cough
  • high blood creatinine (decreased kidney function)

You should not stop taking valsartan tablets without talking to your healthcare provider. These are not all of the possible side effects of valsartan tablets. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

How should I store valsartan tablets?

  • Store valsartan tablets at room temperature between 68° to 77°F (20° to 25°C).
  • Keep valsartan tablets container tightly closed and in a dry place to protect from moisture.
  • Valsartan suspension is provided in a glass bottle with a child-resistant screw-cap closure.
  • Store bottles of valsartan suspension at room temperature less than 86ºF (30ºC) for up to 30 days, or refrigerate between 35ºF to 46ºF (2ºC to 8ºC) for up to 75 days.

Keep valsartan tablets and all medicines out of the reach of children.

General information about the safe and effective use of valsartan tabletsMedicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Patient Information Leaflet. Do not use valsartan tablets for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give valsartan tablets to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them.

You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about valsartan tablets that is written for health professionals.

What are the ingredients in valsartan tablets?

Active ingredient: valsartan, USP

Inactive ingredients: croscarmellose sodium, hypromellose, magnesium stearate, mannitol, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol, povidone, and titanium dioxide. In addition to this 40 mg contains iron oxide yellow, 80 mg contains iron oxide red, 160 mg contains iron oxides (yellow and red) and 320 mg contains iron oxides (yellow, red and black).

Manufactured for:

Camber Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Piscataway, NJ 08854

By: HETEROTM

Hetero Labs Limited, Unit V, Polepally,

Jadcherla, Mahabubnagar-509 301, India.

For more information, call 1-866-495-1995.

This Patient Information has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Revised: 02/2026

About this document

Source: FDA drug labeling via NLM DailyMed · Application number: ANDA 203311 · View the label on DailyMed

Revision date stated in the text: February 2026

Found a mistake? Write to us via the contact page.

The information on this site does not replace the advice of a doctor or pharmacist.

Drug information for Valsartan

Rx or OTC
Prescription (Rx)?
  • This drug is available only with a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.
  • Rx
Boxed warning Yes – this drug has a boxed warning (also called a black box warning), the strongest warning of the FDA.
Drug class Angiotensin 2 Receptor Blocker
Active ingredient Valsartan
Dosage form Tablet, film coated
Route Oral
Marketing status listed in the FDA NDC Directory
Company (applicant) HETERO LABS LTD V
FDA approval ANDA 203311Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) – generic drug Approved January 5, 2015
Therapeutic equivalence (TE) code ABCodes starting with A mean the FDA rates the drug therapeutically equivalent to its reference drug (Orange Book).
Manufacturers 26 labelers list this drug on DailyMed
Packages (NDC)
Package
40 mg – 30 in 1 bottle NDC 31722-151-30
40 mg – 90 in 1 bottle NDC 31722-151-90
40 mg – 500 in 1 bottle NDC 31722-151-05
40 mg – 10 in 1 blister pack NDC 31722-151-31
40 mg – 100 in 1 blister pack NDC 31722-151-32
80 mg – 30 in 1 bottle NDC 31722-152-30
80 mg – 90 in 1 bottle NDC 31722-152-90
80 mg – 500 in 1 bottle NDC 31722-152-05
80 mg – 10 in 1 blister pack NDC 31722-152-31
80 mg – 100 in 1 blister pack NDC 31722-152-32
160 mg – 30 in 1 bottle NDC 31722-153-30
160 mg – 90 in 1 bottle NDC 31722-153-90
Show more packages (8)+
160 mg – 500 in 1 bottle NDC 31722-153-05
160 mg – 10 in 1 blister pack NDC 31722-153-31
160 mg – 100 in 1 blister pack NDC 31722-153-32
320 mg – 30 in 1 bottle NDC 31722-154-30
320 mg – 90 in 1 bottle NDC 31722-154-90
320 mg – 500 in 1 bottle NDC 31722-154-05
320 mg – 10 in 1 blister pack NDC 31722-154-31
320 mg – 100 in 1 blister pack NDC 31722-154-32

Source: FDA drug labeling via NLM DailyMed, data as of October 31, 2026. FDA data (DailyMed, Orange Book, Drug Shortages, enforcement reports). Not a substitute for the advice of a doctor or pharmacist.