Can You Cut Or Split Diovan (Valsartan) Tablets?

Answer

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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

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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.