Telmisartan

Jaipur: Samples of five drugs were found to be of substandard quality upon testing and analysis conducted by the Commissionerate, Food Safety and Drug Control (CFSDC). On Wednesday, the CFSDC issued directions to all the district drug controllers in the state to ensure that the stocks of these drugs are no longer consumed. They were instructed to provide appropriate safeguards to consumers by withdrawing the available stock and taking action as per the provisions of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940. A senior CFSDC official said, samples of Levocetirizine Dihydrochloride Tablets (Wincet-L), manufactured by M/s YL Pharma of Baddi in Solan district, Himachal Pradesh, were found to be of substandard quality. The drug was sold as an antihistamine used to treat symptoms associated with various allergic conditions. A senior CFSDC official said, samples of Levocetirizine Dihydrochloride Tablets (Wincet-L), manufactured by M/s YL Pharma of Baddi in Solan district, Himachal Pradesh, were found to be of substandard quality. The drug was sold as an antihistamine used to treat symptoms associated with various allergic conditions. A sample of Voglibose tablets 0.3 mg (DULCOVOG-0.3), manufactured by M/s Lifecare Neuro Products Ltd of Dharampur in Himachal Pradesh, failed the quality test. The drug is used as an antidiabetic medication to manage type 2 diabetes mellitus. A sample of Ofloxacin Tablets IP 200 mg (OFWIN-200), manufactured by M/s YL Pharma of Baddi in Solan, failed the quality test. The drug is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic used to treat a variety of bacterial infections. A sample of Telmisartan and Amlodipine Tablets IP (Telpin-A), manufactured by India M/s Maskon Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd in Bhagwanpur of Roorkee, was found to be of substandard quality. The drug is used as a combination medication to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) in adults. The CFSDC tested a sample of Cefixime Oral Suspension manufactured by M/s Agron Remedies Pvt. Ltd of Sarverkhera, Uttarakhand, which failed the quality test. It is used as an antibiotic medication to treat a variety of bacterial infections, particularly in children and adults who have difficulty swallowing pills.>

Ahmedabad: The sale of drugs related to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in Gujarat grew by 11% year-on-year as of Nov, driven by a rise in cardiovascular episodes. However, what is more alarming is that a shift in the way CVDs are being treated to prevent long-term complications has also contributed significantly to this growth. Data from Pharmarack indicates that the moving annual total (MAT) for cardiac therapy drugs increased to Rs 1,731 crore in Nov, up from Rs 1,557 crore in the same month last year. The growth, according to molecule-level sales reflected in the data and medical practitioners' views, has been anchored in chronic risk control rather than acute, event-led therapy. For cardiac therapy, anti-hypertensives and lipid-lowering drugs together now account for well over 70% of the total cardiac therapy sales value. Anti-hypertensives remain the single largest contributor at over Rs 830 crore MAT, followed by lipid-lowering agents at around Rs 420 crore. The sharpest shift in prescriptions has been visible in hypertension management. Between 2021 and 2025, doctors have moved decisively away from single-drug therapy towards combination treatments. Data suggests that telmisartan-based combinations now dominate, commonly paired with amlodipine, beta-blockers such as metoprolol, or diuretics like chlorthalidone. Dual-drug combinations have become routine even for relatively early-stage patients, while triple fixed-dose combinations — once largely restricted to resistant hypertension — are being deployed much earlier. Putting this in perspective, Dr Zeeshan Mansuri, interventional cardiologist at Narayana Hospital, Rakhial, Ahmedabad, said, "The shift in prescription patterns is largely driven by the availability of fixed-dose combinations of antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, and other cardiac medications. Since cardiovascular disease has a multifactorial etiology, most patients require a combination of drug classes to manage heart failure, heart attacks, and atherosclerotic risk factors effectively. This approach is increasingly being adopted earlier in the treatment journey, rather than being reserved only for advanced disease or post-cardiac events." Meanwhile, reliance on standalone ACE inhibitors and older beta-blockers has steadily declined. The prescription message is clear — physicians are no longer waiting for treatment failure. Blood pressure control is being tightened earlier, with a view to preventing downstream cardiac and renal complications. "Combination therapies allow clinicians to achieve better control of blood pressure and lipid levels while improving patient compliance by reducing pill burden. The growing use of these combinations reflects a shift toward more comprehensive and preventive cardiac care, aimed at reducing complications, hospitalisations, and disease progression over time," Dr Mansuri further added. Lipid management shows a similar evolution. Rosuvastatin has overtaken atorvastatin as the leading statin by value, while combination therapies are growing faster than statins alone. Prescriptions increasingly feature statins paired with aspirin, clopidogrel, ezetimibe, or fibrates, signalling a stronger focus on achieving defined LDL-cholesterol targets. Dr Shalin Thakore, consultant cardiologist with Shalby Hospitals, said that cardiac issues often occur alongside other conditions such as diabetes, coronary artery disease (CAD), and hypertension. "Even today, treatment often starts with monotherapy — the primary purpose is to achieve a specific target, such as lowering blood pressure to a certain level. Once that level is achieved, clinicians decide to introduce multiple drugs depending on the case's requirements. Better outcomes in preventing disease onset and managing existing conditions are also factors in choosing multi-drug therapy," he added.