Last reviewed 2026-04-22 · How we verify

Placebo for Valsartan

A placebo contains no active pharmaceutical ingredient and produces no pharmacological effect.

A placebo contains no active pharmaceutical ingredient and produces no pharmacological effect. Used for Control arm in clinical trials for hypertension and related cardiovascular conditions.

At a glance

Mechanism of action

Placebo is an inert substance used as a control in clinical trials to establish the efficacy of an active drug by comparison. It relies on the placebo effect—the psychological and physiological response to the expectation of treatment—rather than any direct molecular mechanism. In the context of Valsartan trials, placebo serves as the comparator arm to demonstrate that Valsartan's blood pressure-lowering effects are due to its pharmacological action, not expectation alone.

Approved indications

• Control arm in clinical trials for hypertension and related cardiovascular conditions

Common side effects

No common side effects on file.

Key clinical trials

• Mechanisms Underlying Hypotensive Response to ARB/NEP Inhibition - Aim 3 (PHASE4)
• The ENCHANTMENT HIV Study (PHASE2)
• Polypill and Colchicine for Risk Reduction in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (PHASE3)
• REGN5381 in Adult Participants With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction (PHASE2)
• A Study to Evaluate the Effect of Sodium Zirconium Cyclosilicate on Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Progression in Participants With CKD and Hyperkalaemia or at Risk of Hyperkalaemia (PHASE3)
• DAPAgliflozine to Attenuate Cardiac RemOdeling afTEr aCuTe myOcardial Infarction (PHASE3)
• Angiotensin-Neprilysin Inhibition in Hemodialysis Initiation (PHASE2)
• Effect of Sacubitril-Valsartan on Cardiac Structure and Function (PHASE3)

Primary sources

Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.