March 25, 2008 /CNW/ - Health Canada has approved a leading high blood pressure medicine Diovan* (valsartan) to treat chronic heart failure (HF) in patients who cannot tolerate angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, a common type of heart failure therapy.
Characterized by a progressive weakening of the heart muscle until it no longer pumps blood effectively, HF is the most common cause for adult hospitalizations in Canada and carries a greater risk of death than most cancers.
"Quality of life remains compromised for many heart failure patients since 20% to 50% of these individuals can not tolerate standard therapy," says Dr. George Honos, a staff cardiologist and director of noninvasive cardiology at the Sir Mortimer B Davis Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Quebec. "The approval of Diovan* is welcome news for this patient population who require additional options to improve survival."
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