Source: Health Products Regulatory Authority (IE) Revision Year: 2019 Publisher: Accord Healthcare Ireland Ltd., Euro House, Euro Business Park, Little Island, Cork T45 K857, Ireland
Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1.
Second and third trimester of pregnancy (see sections 4.4 and 4.6).
The concomitant use of Irprestan with aliskiren-containing products is contraindicated in patients with diabetes mellitus or renal impairment (GFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m²) (see sections 4.5 and 5.1).
Symptomatic hypotension, especially after the first dose, may occur in patients who are volume and/or sodium depleted by vigorous diuretic therapy, dietary salt restriction, diarrhoea or vomiting. Such conditions should be corrected before the administration of Irprestan.
There is an increased risk of severe hypotension and renal insufficiency when patients with bilateral renal artery stenosis or stenosis of the artery to a single functioning kidney are treated with medicinal products that affect the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. While this is not documented with irbesartan, a similar effect should be anticipated with angiotensin-II receptor antagonists.
When Irprestan is used in patients with impaired renal function, a periodic monitoring of potassium and creatinine serum levels is recommended. There is no experience regarding the administration of irbesartan in patients with a recent kidney transplantation.
The effects of irbesartan both on renal and cardiovascular events were not uniform across all subgroups, in an analysis carried out in the study with patients with advanced renal disease. In particular, they appeared less favourable in women and non-white subjects (see section 5.1).
There is evidence that the concomitant use of ACE-inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers or aliskiren increases the risk of hypotension, hyperkalaemia and decreased renal function (including acute renal failure). Dual blockade of RAAS through the combined use of ACE-inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers or aliskiren is therefore not recommended (see sections 4.5 and 5.1).
If dual blockade therapy is considered absolutely necessary, this should only occur under specialist supervision and subject to frequent close monitoring of renal function, electrolytes and blood pressure. ACE-inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers should not be used concomitantly in patients with diabetic nephropathy.
As with other medicinal products that affect the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, hyperkalemia may occur during the treatment with Irprestan, especially in the presence of renal impairment, overt proteinuria due to diabetic renal disease, and/or heart failure. Close monitoring of serum potassium in patients at risk is recommended (see section 4.5).
The combination of lithium and Irprestan is not recommended (see section 4.5).
As with other vasodilators, special caution is indicated in patients suffering from aortic or mitral stenosis, or obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Patients with primary aldosteronism generally will not respond to antihypertensive medicinal products acting through inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system. Therefore, the use of Irprestan is not recommended.
In patients whose vascular tone and renal function depend predominantly on the activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (e.g. patients with severe congestive heart failure or underlying renal disease, including renal artery stenosis), treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin-II receptor antagonists that affect this system has been associated with acute hypotension, azotaemia, oliguria, or rarely acute renal failure (see section 4.5). As with any anti-hypertensive agent, excessive blood pressure decrease in patients with ischaemic cardiopathy or ischaemic cardiovascular disease could result in a myocardial infarction or stroke.
As observed for angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, irbesartan and the other angiotensin antagonists are apparently less effective in lowering blood pressure in black people than in non-blacks, possibly because of higher prevalence of low-renin states in the black hypertensive population (see section 5.1).
Irbesartan has been studied in paediatric populations aged 6 to 16 years old but the current data are insufficient to support an extension of the use in children until further data become available (see sections 4.8, 5.1 and 5.2).
Angiotensin II Receptor Inhibitors (AIIRAs) should not be initiated during pregnancy. Unless continued AIIRAs therapy is considered essential, patients planning pregnancy should be changed to alternative anti-hypertensive treatments which have an established safety profile for use in pregnancy. When pregnancy is diagnosed, treatment with AIIRAs should be stopped immediately, and, if appropriate, alternative therapy should be started (see sections 4.3 and 4.6).
Other antihypertensive agents may increase the hypotensive effects of irbesartan; however irbesartan has been safely administered with other antihypertensive agents, such as beta-blockers, long-acting calcium channel blockers, and thiazide diuretics. Prior treatment with high dose diuretics may result in volume depletion and a risk of hypotension when initiating therapy with Irprestan (see section 4.4).
Based on experience with the use of other medicinal products that affect the renin-angiotensin system, concomitant use of potassium-sparing diuretics, potassium supplements, salt substitutes containing potassium or other medicinal products that may increase serum potassium levels (e.g. heparin) may lead to increases in serum potassium and is, therefore, not recommended (see section 4.4).
Reversible increases in serum lithium concentrations and toxicity have been reported during concomitant administration of lithium with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. Similar effects have been very rarely reported with irbesartan so far. Therefore, this combination is not recommended (see section 4.4). If the combination proves necessary, careful monitoring of serum lithium levels is recommended.
When angiotensin II antagonists are administered simultaneously with non-steroidal anti- inflammatory medicinal products (i.e. selective COX-2 inhibitors, acetylsalicylic acid (>3 g/day) and non-selective NSAIDs), attenuation of the antihypertensive effect may occur. As with ACE inhibitors, concomitant use of angiotensin II antagonists and NSAIDs may lead to an increased risk of worsening of renal function, including possible acute renal failure, and an increase in serum potassium, especially in patients with poor pre-existing renal function. The combination should be administered with caution, especially in the elderly. Patients should be adequately hydrated and consideration should be given to monitoring renal function after initiation of concomitant therapy, and periodically thereafter.
In clinical studies, the pharmacokinetic of irbesartan is not affected by hydrochlorothiazide. Irbesartan is mainly metabolised by CYP2C9 and to a lesser extent by glucuronidation. No significant pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic interactions were observed when irbesartan was coadministered with warfarin, a medicinal product metabolised by CYP2C9. The effects of CYP2C9 inducers such as rifampicin on the pharmacokinetic of irbesartan have not been evaluated. The pharmacokinetic of digoxin was not altered by coadministration of irbesartan.
Clinical trial data has shown that dual blockade of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system (RAAS) through the combined use of ACE-inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers or aliskiren is associated with a higher frequency of adverse events such as hypotension, hyperkalaemia and decreased renal function (including acute renal failure) compared to the use of a single RAAS-acting agent (see sections 4.3, 4.4 and 5.1).
The use of AIIRAs is not recommended during the first trimester of pregnancy (see section 4.4).The use of AIIRAs is contra-indicatedduring the second and third trimester of pregnancy (see section 4.3 and 4.4).
Epidemiological evidence regarding the risk of teratogenicity following exposure to ACE inhibitors during the first trimester of pregnancy has not been conclusive; however a small increase in risk cannot be excluded. Whilst there is no controlled epidemiological data on the risk with Angiotensin II Receptor Inhibitors (AIIRAs), similar risks may exist for this class of medicinal products. Unless continued AIIRA therapy is considered essential, patients planning pregnancy should be changed to alternative anti-hypertensive treatments which have an established safety profile for use in pregnancy. When pregnancy is diagnosed, treatment with AIIRAs should be stopped immediately and, if appropriate, alternative therapy should be started.
AIIRAs therapy exposure during the second and third trimesters is known to induce human fetotoxicity (decreased renal function, oligohydramnios, skull ossification retardation) and neonatal toxicity (renal failure, hypotension, hyperkalaemia). (See section 5.3) Should exposure to AIIRAs have occurred from the second trimester of pregnancy, ultrasound check of renal function and skull is recommended.
Infants whose mothers have taken AIIRAs should be closely observed for hypotension (see section 4.3 and 4.4).
Because no information is available regarding the use of Irprestan during breastfeeding, Irprestan is not recommended and alternative treatments with better established safety profiles during breast-feeding are preferable, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.
It is unknown whether irbesartan or its metabolites are excreted in human milk. Available pharmacodynamics/toxicological data in rats have shown excretion of irbesartan or its metabolites in milk (for details see section 5.3).
Irbesartan had no effect upon fertility of treated rats and their offspring up to the dose levels inducing the first signs of parental toxicity (see section 5.3).
Based on its pharmacodynamic properties, irbesartan is unlikely to affect the ability to drive and use machines. When driving vehicles or operating machines, it should be taken into account that dizziness or weariness may occur during treatment.
In placebo-controlled trials in patients with hypertension, the overall incidence of adverse events did not differ between the irbesartan (56.2%) and the placebo groups (56.5%). Discontinuation due to any clinical or laboratory adverse event was less frequent for irbesartan-treated patients (3.3%) than for placebo-treated patients (4.5%). The incidence of adverse events was not related to dose (in the recommended dose range), gender, age, race, or duration of treatment.
In diabetic hypertensive patients with microalbuminuria and normal renal function, orthostatic dizziness and orthostatic hypotension were reported in 0.5% of the patients (i.e., uncommon) but in excess of placebo.
The following list presents the adverse drug reactions that were reported in placebo-controlled trials in which 1,965 hypertensive patients received irbesartan. Terms marked with a star (*) refer to the adverse reactions that were additionally reported in >2% of diabetic hypertensive patients with chronic renal insufficiency and overt proteinuria and in excess of placebo.
The frequency of adverse reactions listed below is defined using the following convention: very common (≥1/10); common (≥1/100, <1/10); uncommon (≥1/1,000, <1/100); rare (≥1/10,000, <1/1,000); very rare (<1/10,000).
Within each frequency grouping, undesirable effects are presented in order of decreasing seriousness.
Adverse reactions additionally reported from post-marketing experience are also listed. These adverse reactions are derived from spontaneous reports.
Not known: thrombocytopenia
Not known: hypersensitivity reactions such as angioedema, rash, urticaria
Not known: hyperkalaemia
Common: dizziness, orthostatic dizziness*
Not known: vertigo, headache
Not known: tinnitus
Uncommon: tachycardia
Common: orthostatic hypotension*
Uncommon: flushing
Uncommon: cough
Common: nausea/vomiting
Uncommon: diarrhoea, dyspepsia/heartburn
Not known: dysgeusia
Uncommon: jaundice
Not known: hepatitis, abnormal liver function
Not known: leukocytoclastic vasculitis
Common: musculoskeletal pain*
Not known: arthralgia, myalgia (in some cases associated with increased plasma creatine kinase levels), muscle cramps
Not known: impaired renal function including cases of renal failure in patients at risk (see section 4.4)
Uncommon: sexual dysfunction
Common: fatigue
Uncommon: chest pain
Very common: Hyperkalaemia* occurred more often in diabetic patients treated with irbesartan than with placebo. In diabetic hypertensive patients with microalbuminuria and normal renal function, hyperkalaemia (≥5.5 mEq/L) occurred in 29.4% of the patients in the irbesartan 300 mg group and 22% of the patients in the placebo group. In diabetic hypertensive patients with chronic renal insufficiency and overt proteinuria, hyperkalaemia (≥5.5 mEq/L) occurred in 46.3% of the patients in the irbesartan group and 26.3% of the patients in the placebo group.
Common: significant increases in plasma creatine kinase were commonly observed (1.7%) in irbesartan treated subjects. None of these increases were associated with identifiable clinical musculoskeletal events.
In 1.7% of hypertensive patients with advanced diabetic renal disease treated with irbesartan, a decrease in haemoglobin*, which was not clinically significant, has been observed.
In a randomised trial of 318 hypertensive children and adolescents aged 6 to 16 years, the following related adverse events occurred in the 3-week double-blind phase: headache (7.9%), hypotension (2.2%), dizziness (1.9%), cough (0.9%). In the 26-week open-label period of this trial the most frequent laboratory abnormalities observed were creatinine increases (6.5%) and elevated CK values in 2% of child recipients.
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via HPRA Pharmacovigilance, Earlsfort Terrace, IRL – Dublin 2; Tel: +353 1 6764971; Fax: +353 1 6762517. Website: www.hpra.ie; E-mail: medsafety@hpra.ie.
Not applicable.
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