Avapro and Hair Loss: An Overview
There are several possible side effects for people taking
Avapro® (
irbesartan). Hair loss, however, does not appear to be one of them. In clinical studies, hair loss was not reported as either a common or rare side effect of Avapro. However, hair loss has been reported as a rare side effect with other angiotensin II receptor blockers (the class of medicines that Avapro is part of).
Understanding Clinical Trials
Keep in mind that just because hair loss is not seen during clinical studies with Avapro, it does not mean that the medicine cannot cause this problem. Clinical trials are designed to factor out many possible variables in order to understand whether the medicine works and its possible side effects. Once the medicine is approved, a wider range of people begin taking the medicine and for longer periods of time. As is often the case, this can lead to other side effects being reported. However, once a medicine is approved, there are usually no more studies conducted on it. This means that certain side effects that occur very rarely may never be reported. Thus, in some people, it's possible that a medicine may cause a side effect that hasn't been reported before.
Avapro and Hair Loss: Final Thoughts
If you experience hair loss while taking Avapro, talk with your healthcare provider.
Depending on how severe the hair loss is, there are things that he or she may be able to recommend. If your symptoms continue to be bothersome, or if your healthcare provider believes the medicine is causing your hair loss, he or she may recommend trying another medicine for your
high blood pressure or diabetic nephropathy.
