Author: James Anderson

Losartan Oral: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing

Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements being used. Sharing this information can help avoid potential interactions. Losartan works by blocking the action of angiotensin II, a chemical in the body that causes the blood vessels to tighten and narrow. Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medicines at the same time. Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you use, which may increase side effects or make the medicines less effective. Losartan is used alone or in combination with other medications to treat high blood pressure in adults and children at least 6 years old.

They will slowly taper the dosage so that the person can stop using the drug safely. Taking losartan with other drugs that work in the same way may increase the chance of low blood pressure, high potassium levels in the blood, and kidney damage. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. Other drugs may affect losartan, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

If this happens, lie down and call the doctor right away. Alcohol can also increase the blood pressure-lowering effect of losartan. This increases the risk of blood pressure getting too low. A person’s doctor may increase the dosage to 100 mg per day if needed. The usual dosage is around 0.7 mg/kg of body weight taken once per day.

Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor’s approval.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Read the Patient Information Leaflet if available from your pharmacist before you start taking losartan and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist. The relevance of a particular drug interaction to a specific individual is difficult to determine.

A senior may need a lower dosage or a different dosing schedule. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

Drug and Breastfeeding Interactions

For instance, some can interfere with how well a drug works, while others can cause increased side effects. In rare cases, this medicine can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, leading to kidney failure. Losartan may not decrease the risk of stroke in African Americans who have these conditions. Check your blood pressure regularly while taking this medication. Learn how to monitor your own blood pressure, and share the results with your doctor. This drug can cause serious (possibly fatal) harm to an unborn baby if used during pregnancy.

Losartan is available as the brand-name drug Cozaar. Generic drugs usually cost less than the brand-name version. In some cases, they may not be available in every strength or form as the brand-name drug.

1. Losartan is used alone or in combination with other medications to treat high blood pressure in adults and children at least 6 years old.
2. Tell your doctor if you have severe diarrhea or vomiting.
3. Note that this list is not all-inclusive and includes only common medications that may interact with losartan.
4. A person should keep taking this drug unless their doctor tells them to stop.
5. Losartan is also used to decrease the risk of stroke in patients with high blood pressure and enlargement of the heart.
6. This is because high blood pressure raises the risk of kidney damage that is caused by the high blood sugar levels linked with diabetes.

Losartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB). It works by blocking a substance in the body that causes blood vessels to tighten. A lower blood pressure will increase the supply of the blood and oxygen to the heart. Losartan works on a hormone called angiotensin II to lower blood pressure and may also improve kidney function in some people. People being initiated on losartan should be adequately rehydrated and have normal electrolyte levels. Losartan can increase the levels of a substance called potassium in the blood.

If you have diabetes, do not use losartan together with any medication that contains aliskiren (a blood pressure medicine). Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products). Before taking losartan, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems.

Losartan is a selective, competitive angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1) antagonist, reducing the end organ responses to angiotensin II. Losartan administration results in a decrease in total peripheral resistance (afterload) and cardiac venous return (preload). All of the physiological effects of angiotensin II, including release of aldosterone, are antagonized in the presence of losartan. Reduction in blood pressure occurs independently of the status of the renin–angiotensin system. As a result of losartan dosing, plasma renin activity increases due to removal of the angiotensin II feedback.

If you are taking losartan you should avoid potassium-containing salt substitutes or over-the-counter potassium supplements without first talking to your doctor. This can cause high levels of potassium in your blood. High levels of potassium can cause weakness, irregular heartbeat, confusion, tingling of the extremities, or feelings of heaviness in the legs. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these symptoms. A person may not be able to tell if this drug is helping their kidney function or reducing the risk of stroke.

What is losartan?

Taking losartan with rifampin, a drug used to treat tuberculosis, can increase how quickly the body removes losartan. This means losartan may not work as well to lower blood pressure if taken with these drugs. Taking losartan with lithium, a drug used to treat bipolar disorder, may increase the levels of lithium in the body. This can increase the risk of dangerous side effects. If a person has questions about drug interactions that may affect them, ask a doctor or pharmacist. Before taking losartan, a person should be sure to tell their doctor and pharmacist about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs they take.

Losartan can cause injury or death to the unborn baby if you use the medicine during your second or third trimester. Do not use losartan if you are pregnant, and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant. It can cause injury or death to the unborn baby during your second or third trimester. A total of 317 medications are known to interact with losartan.

Serious side effects

It is important to prevent pregnancy while taking this medication. Consult your doctor for more details and to discuss the use of reliable forms of birth control while taking this medication. If you are planning pregnancy, become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant, contact your doctor right away.