Losartan

Conditions Treated

Losartan is used alone or in combination with other medications to treat high blood pressure. Losartan is also used to decrease the risk of stroke in people who have high blood pressure and a heart condition called left ventricular hypertrophy (enlargement of the walls of the left side of the heart). Losartan may not decrease the risk of stroke in African Americans who have these conditions. This medication is also used to treat kidney disease in people who have type 2 diabetes (condition in which the body does not use insulin normally and therefore cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood) and high blood pressure. Losartan is in a class of medications called angiotensin II receptor antagonists. It works by blocking the action of certain natural substances that tighten the blood vessels, allowing the blood to flow more smoothly and the heart to pump more efficiently.

Possible Side Effects

What Side Effects Can This Cause?

Losartan may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• dizziness
• leg, knee, or back pain
• muscle cramps or weakness
• diarrhea
• heartburn
• decreased sensitivity to touch

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS section, call your doctor immediately:

• swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
• hoarseness
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• chest pain

Losartan may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

Usage Instructions

How Should This Medication Be Used

Losartan comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken once or twice a day with or without food. To help you remember to take losartan, take it at around the same time(s) every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take losartan exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of losartan and gradually increase your dose. If your child can not swallow a tablet, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. The pharmacist can prepare a liquid form of this medication for your child. Losartan controls high blood pressure but does not cure it. Your blood pressure may decrease during the first week of your treatment, but it may take 3-6 weeks for you to notice the full benefit of losartan. Continue to take losartan even if you feel well. Do not stop taking losartan without talking to your doctor. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer's information for the patient.

What Dietary Instructions Should I Follow

Do not use salt substitutes containing potassium without talking to your doctor. If your doctor prescribes a low-salt or low-sodium diet, follow these directions carefully.

Are There Any Special Instructions

Before taking losartan, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to losartan, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in losartan tablets. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients. tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), and selective COX-2 inhibitors such as celecoxib (Celebrex); diuretics ('water pills') including potassium-sparing diuretics such as amiloride (Midamor, in Hydroride, in Moduretic), spironolactone (Aldactone, in Aldactazide), and triamterene (Dyrenium, in Dyazide, in Maxzide); fluconazole (Diflucan); lithium (Eskalith CR, Eskalith, Lithobid); phenobarbital; potassium supplements; and rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had heart failure or kidney or liver disease. you should know that losartan may cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting when you get up too quickly from a lying position. This is more common when you first start taking losartan. To help avoid this problem, get out of bed slowly, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up. you should know that diarrhea, vomiting, not drinking enough fluids, and sweating a lot can cause a drop in blood pressure, which may cause lightheadedness and fainting. Tell your doctor if you have any of these problems or develop them during your treatment.