Losartan

• High blood pressure
• Chronic heart failure
• Heart attack (myocardial infarction) causing dysfunction of left lower chamber of the heart
• Diabetic kidney disease

When should one not use Losartan

• Pregnancy
• Allergic to the Losartan or any other ARAs
• Renal Artery Stenosis (a condition where a blood vessel in the kidney is narrow)
• Liver problems
• Kidney disease

Common side effects of this drug are:

• Excessive drop in blood pressure
• Headache, and dizziness
• Can cause allergic reactions like rash, swelling of face, lips and throat (serious). In such a scenario, seek emergency medical help
• High levels of potassium in the blood
• Vertigo
• Low blood sugar
• Fatigue
• Changes in kidney function including kidney failure
• Reduced number of red blood cells (anemia)
• Can cause skeletal muscle injury called rhabdomyolysis. Hence, report if you experience fever or pain/ tenderness

Other General Warnings

• History of angioedema (swelling of the face, lips, throat, tongue)
• Excessive vomiting or diarrhea
• If you are known to have narrowing or blockage of the blood vessels leading to your kidneys or had a kidney transplant recently
• Liver disease
• You suffer from heart failure with or without renal impairment or concomitant severe life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias
• Heart disease
• If you have high blood pressure and diabetes-related kidney problems. Your doctor shall regularly ask you to do kidney tests and test for electrolytes (e.g. potassium)

How Does It Work?

Interactions with other medicines

• Many medicines are known to interact; hence any prescription that the patient is taking has to be reported
• Aspirin and NSAIDs reduce the action of Losartan on blood pressure
• All ACE inhibitors, Azathioprine, Lithium, Aspirin, and Aliskiren should be avoided
• Medicines which are known to increase potassium levels like Diuretics

Interactions with food items

Overdose

Missed a Dose