Hypertension: the olmesartan will more be refunded

On the hot seat for a year, olmesartan, a drug prescribed high blood pressure, will be déremboursé from July 3. Do not abruptly stop the treatment, talk to your doctor about effective and refundable alternatives exist.

The olmesartan, which belongs to the class of the antagonists of the receptors of angiotensin II ("sartans"), is not recommended in the treatment of hypertension. He "deserves no more to be paid", indicates the national security of the drug (ANSM) Agency, in a statement released on 3 April 2016. The decision will take effect on July 3, 2016, just three months after the publication of the decree in the Official Journal.

This drug was in the hot seat since a risk, rare but serious, occurrence of an infectionof the intestine (bowel) was confirmed by several studies.

Another argument put forward: If the olmesartan well decreases blood pressure, its effectiveness in reducing the number of cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke,...) was found to be "less compelling" than other drugs of the class of the sartans.

Produce affected by this rebate

All specialities of olmesartan used in the management of hypertension are affectedby this innovate, namely:

Alteis;

Alteisduo;

Axeler;

Coolmetec;

Olmetec;

Sevikar.

How to change treatment for hypertension?

If health authorities recommend using an other sartan or other antihypertensive, this change of treatment must be medically supervised. It is inadvisable to abruptly stop his treatment by olmesartan. You should consult your physician, who will determine the new most suited to your profile antihypertensive treatment.

The ANSM reminds that there are "many alternatives effective, better tolerated andreimbursed" in the family of the sartans that can be prescribed alone or in combination instead of the olmesartan:

candesartan (Atacand, Kenzen and their generic);

eprosartan (Teveten);

irbesartan (Aprovel and its generic);

losartan (Cozaar and its generic);

telmisartan (Micardis, Pritor and their generic);

valsartan (Nisis, George and their generic).

Other medications, inhibitors of the enzyme conversion, but also some beta blockers and calcium channel blockers are also recommended.