Can You Cut Or Split Diovan (Valsartan) Tablets?
In our latest question and answer, our pharmacist discusses whether or not Diovan (Valsartan) tablets can be cut in half.
Can Valsartan 160mg film-coated tablets be broken in half?
Aug 05, 2022- Diovan tablets can be safely cut or split in half since the drug's effectiveness and absorption are not affected by splitting.
- Some Diovan tablets have an odd shape that makes them difficult to split evenly, so you may need to cut them in a specific direction to get equal doses.
- If your Diovan tablet is film-coated, cutting it will remove this coating, so only split tablets right before taking them rather than storing cut pieces for later use.
Answer
Thanks for reaching out to us!
Diovan (valsartan) tablets can be safely cut or split in half. It is an immediate-release tablet and cutting it does not affect how the drug works or is absorbed.
Having said this, it is important to mention two things about valsartan tablets:
- Valsartan tablets are made by a variety of manufacturers, and some of the tablets are oddly shaped, which may make them difficult to evenly split.
- Most valsartan tablets are film-coated. Cutting the tablets in half will destroy this film coating.
Valsartan Tablet Shape
As mentioned above, valsartan is made by several different companies, and tablet shape/size varies.
Some valsartan tablets are symmetrically round or oblong, while others have what I would call a 'tear-drop shape'.
Below is an image of valsartan from two different manufacturers, and you can see they vary in size. The right image is symmetrical and can be cut in half easily in either direction, but the left image shows an asymmetrical tablet, which would need to be cut lengthwise to get even doses.
It is important that if you are planning on splitting tablets in half, you do so evenly. You may have to cut them in a certain direction to do this.
Valsartan May Be Film-Coated
Some (but not all) valsartan tablets are film-coated. There are a number of reasons why a manufacturer may make a film-coated tablet.
A film-coating may be added to improve drug stability or to make the tablets easier to swallow (or both). The film-coating on valsartan tablets does not make extended-release.
While cutting valsartan tablets will destroy the film coating, it doesn't affect how the drug is absorbed. Just make sure if you are cutting the tablets, don't cut all of them and store them for later use. Only do so for immediate dosing.
Final Words
So, overall, valsartan tablets can be cut or split in half. There are just some considerations to doing so which I have described above.I hope this answer helped! Please reach out to us again if anything else comes up!
What Is Valsartan?
Valsartan is used in adults and in children 1 year of age and older alone or in combination with other medications to treat high blood pressure. It is also used in adults to treat heart failure (condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to the rest of the body) and to improve survival after a heart attack.
It is in a class of medications called angiotensin II receptor antagonists. It works by blocking the action of certain natural substances that tighten the blood vessels, allowing the blood to flow more smoothly and the heart to pump more efficiently.
References & sources
- Diovan Prescribing Information — Novartis
- Valsartan Monograph — PubChem
- Valsartan Monograph — ClinicalKey (Subscription Required)
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Immediate-release tablet
- A tablet that releases and absorbs the medication quickly into the bloodstream rather than slowly over time.
- Film-coated
- Covered with a thin protective layer that may improve stability or make the tablet easier to swallow.
- Extended-release
- A medication formulation designed to release the drug slowly over several hours rather than all at once.
- Valsartan
- A prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, and improve survival after heart attacks.
- Angiotensin II receptor antagonists
- A class of blood pressure medications that work by blocking substances in the body that constrict blood vessels.
- Heart failure
- A condition where the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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