Irbesartan
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Irbesartan is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist used mainly for the treatment of hypertension. Irbesartan was discovered by Sanofi Research (now part of Sanofi-Aventis). It is jointly marketed by Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb under the trade names Aprovel, Karvea, and Avapro.
Irbesartan is one of the class that patients may be prescribed if they cannot tolerate the ACE-inhibitor drugs, such as perindopril. The usual reason is because of dry cough, attributed to delayed breakdown of bradykinin by ACE. Irbesartan may help to delay the progression of diabetic nephropathy, a form of chronic renal failure due to diabetes.