Improving your overall condition and reducing the risk of death
Keeping you out of hospital
Improving your overall quality of life
Allowing you to continue with your day-to-day activities
Starting your treatment
This treatment may not be the only medication you are prescribed for heart failure. If you are currently prescribed either of the types of treatments below, you will need to stop taking these before you start Entresto®.
Remember, it is very important that you stop taking these medicines before you start sacubitril/valsartan. If you are not taking either of these, you can start your sacubitril/valsartan immediately.
If you are not sure what to do, call or make an appointment with your healthcare professional who will be able to help you. If you have any of your old medication left over, please take them to your pharmacist who will dispose of them safely.
Download our guide and keep a note of the name, date and time of your last dose and ensure you take the first dose of this medicine at the right time.
How do you take sacubitril/valsartan?
It is important to remember to take your medication at the same time each day for your heart to pump blood around your body effectively. Make sure you keep taking this treatment even if you are feeling better. You should consult your doctor or nurse before you stop taking this treatment.
You can download the free third-party mobile app Medisafe which allows you to set medication and repeat prescription reminders, find online support and helps you spend less time thinking about medications —and more time living your life.
Try these tips to help you remember to take this medicine:
What should you do if you miss a dose?
Taking your medicine at the same time each day means it will help your heart pump blood around your body more effectively. If you do miss a single tablet, you will not normally notice any effects and you should simply take your next dose at the usual time.
DO NOT TAKE TWO OR MORE AT ONCE TO MAKE UP FOR ANY YOU HAVE MISSED.
If you regularly miss or stop taking your medicine, your symptoms may get worse more quickly. It is therefore very important that you talk to your heart failure nurse, doctor or pharmacist about how they can support you with taking your medicine.
What side effects might you experience while using sacubitril/valsartan?
All medication can cause some side effects in some people and these will be monitored as part of your check-ups with your healthcare team. Not everyone experiences side effects, and some side effects will pass within a few days as your body adjusts to the new medication.
Patients taking this medicine generally found that side effects, if present, were manageable. The most common symptoms you may notice include light-headedness and dizziness due to low blood pressure. Other common side effects are high levels of potassium in the blood and reduced kidney function, which can be detected in a blood test. Symptoms may not always be present.
A complete list of all known side effects is available in the Patient Information Leaflet, provided with your medicine. If you do experience side effects, do not stop taking this treatment. Instead, you should talk to your heart failure nurse, doctor or pharmacist as they will be able to offer you the best advice.
You can also report your side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/.
By reporting your side effects, you can help us provide more information about the safety of this medicine.
What should you keep in mind when taking sacubitril/valsartan?
- This treatment must not be taken with ACEIs or an ARB. If you are currently prescribed an ACEI, you will have to stop taking it 36 hours before you start this treatment, the same applies if you’re switching from this treatment to an ACEI. If you are prescribed this treatment whilst taking an ARB, you will be required to stop taking the ARB before you can start taking Entresto®.
- You should stop taking this treatment immediately if you develop any allergic reaction to it. You should report any reaction to your doctor or nurse or by using the Yellow Card Scheme.
- This treatment should not be taken with aliskiren, a drug prescribed for high blood pressure. It should also not be taken while you are taking aliskiren for diabetes and/or have renal impairment.
- This treatment must not be taken by pregnant women.
- Read the patient information leaflet provided with the medicine for a complete list of precautions and drugs you should not take alongside Entresto®.
- Please talk to your healthcare professional if you suffer from liver disease.
Please refer to the patient information leaflet for a full description of what you should know before taking this medication.
Download the guide and take it with you
We have two guides available which vary slightly depending on where you were diagnosed with heart failure. Select the guide that is right for you, download it and print it so you can take it with you to your appointments.
Your guide to Entresto® - Download guide
Your in-hospital guide to Entresto® - Download guide
YOURCHOICE
ENGAGE
Supporting you at every stage of your treatment journey
The Entresto® YOURCHOICE ENGAGE programme provides patients like you with valuable support on your treatment journey. Through regular emails we can support you in learning more about your Entresto® treatment, understand how to manage any possible side effects and even help you to find further helpful information and resources.
YOURCHOICE ENGAGE can also help you to:
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Find reliable and up-to-date information relevant to you
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Read and hear stories from other patients
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Learn tips to help you stay on track with your treatment
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Discover information and sources of emotional and well-being support