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Uses for Atacand

Atacand is the brand name for candesartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB). Atacand has limited but important uses. Patients usually take it once or twice a day, and dosage varies depending on the individual.

  1. High Blood Pressure

    • The hormone angiotensin II normally causes blood vessels to constrict. In blocking this hormone, Atacand allows blood vessels to relax and widen, making this drug an effective treatment for lowering high blood pressure.

    Considerations

    • Patients usually must take Atacand for two to six weeks before seeing results in blood pressure readings. Best results occur when the medication is taken at the same time each day.

    Congestive Heart Failure

    • Atacand also is used to treat some cases of congestive heart failure, a disorder in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood through the body. Atacand helps the heart regain more efficiency.

    Diabetic Nephropathy

    • Another reason people use Atacand is to help protect kidneys from damage caused by diabetes, or diabetic nephropathy.

    Migraine Headaches

    • Atacand shows potential as a treatment for decreasing the severity and duration of migraine headaches, according to study results published in a 2003 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

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