What type of medication is cozaar

Losartan belongs to a class of drugs called angiotensin receptor blockers ARBs. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way.

Other ARBs include olmesartan, valsartan, and telmisartan. Like losartan, these drugs can be used to treat high blood pressure and other heart problems. Losartan works by blocking the action of angiotensin II, a chemical in your body that causes your blood vessels to tighten and narrow. Losartan helps relax and widen your blood vessels.

This lowers your blood pressure. This action helps treat high blood pressure as well as the other two conditions losartan is usually prescribed for. High blood pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy LVH increase your risk of stroke, so lower blood pressure reduces your risk. Lower blood pressure also reduces your risk of kidney damage. Losartan can cause mild or serious side effects. The following list contains some of the key side effects that may occur while taking losartan.

This list does not include all possible side effects. For more information on the possible side effects of losartan, or tips on how to deal with a troubling side effect, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. These effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:. Losartan can interact with several other medications. Different interactions can cause different effects.

For instance, some can interfere with how well a drug works, while others can cause increased side effects. Below is a list of medications that can interact with losartan. This list does not contain all drugs that may interact with losartan. Before taking losartan, be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take.

Also tell them about any vitamins , herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Taking losartan with lithium , a drug used to treat bipolar disorder , may increase the levels of lithium in your body. This can increase your risk of dangerous side effects.

Taking losartan with other drugs that work in the same way may increase your chance of low blood pressure, high potassium levels in your blood, and kidney damage. Your risk may be higher if:. NSAIDs may also reduce the blood-pressure-lowering effects of losartan. Taking losartan with rifampin , a drug used to treat tuberculosis , can increase how quickly your body removes losartan. This means that losartan may not work as well to lower your blood pressure if you take it with these drugs.

Losartan can cause low blood pressure. Your risk of low blood pressure is increased if you also take diuretics. Symptoms of low blood pressure can include dizziness or feeling faint, or chest pain. Examples of diuretics include:. Losartan can increase the levels of a substance called potassium in your blood. Taking losartan with drugs that contain potassium, potassium supplements, or salt substitutes with potassium, can increase your risk of hyperkalemia high levels of potassium.

The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to suit your needs. The typical starting dosage is 50 mg once daily. Dosages range between 25 and mg per day. You take losartan once or twice per day. The usual dosage is around 0.

There are no specific recommendations for senior dosage. Seniors may process drugs more slowly. As a result, a normal adult dosage may cause levels of this drug to be higher than normal in your body. Your doctor may increase your dosage to mg per day if needed.

The typical dosage is 50 mg taken once daily. You may take losartan once or twice per day. For people with liver problems: If you have mild-to-moderate liver problems, your doctor may lower your starting dosage to 25 mg per day. Taking it again could be fatal cause death. Consuming alcoholic drinks while taking losartan can cause a sedative effect.

This means you may have slowed reflexes, poor judgment, and sleepiness. This effect can be dangerous if you drive or use other machinery. Alcohol can also increase the blood pressure-lowering effect of losartan. This increases the risk of your blood pressure getting too low. This drug may cause low blood pressure, which can make you feel faint or dizzy.

If this happens, lie down and call your doctor right away. For people with kidney problems: This medication can make kidney disease worse. Symptoms of worsening kidney disease include:. For this reason, your doctor may lower your starting dosage.

For people with diabetes and taking aliskiren: You should not take losartan if you have diabetes and are take a drug called aliskiren to reduce blood pressure. Taking both of these drugs can increase your risk of side effects from losartan.

Side effects include low blood pressure, high potassium levels in your blood, and kidney damage. If you have diabetes and are taking aliskiren, talk with your doctor before starting losartan. For pregnant women: Losartan is a category D pregnancy drug. That means two things:. This drug can harm or end your pregnancy. Losartan is also sometimes used to treat heart failure condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to the rest of the body.

Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this medication for your condition. This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. 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. Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule.

Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. Losartan may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication. Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat, light, and moisture not in the bathroom. It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily.

To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them.

However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory.

Your blood pressure should be checked regularly to determine your response to losartan. Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription over-the-counter medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital.

It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies. Losartan pronounced as loe sar' tan. Why is this medication prescribed? How should this medicine be used? Other uses for this medicine What special precautions should I follow? What special dietary instructions should I follow? What should I do if I forget a dose? What side effects can this medication cause? What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?

Brand names Brand names of combination products. Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of losartan and gradually increase your dose. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer's information for the patient. Other uses for this medicine. What special precautions should I follow? 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.