Losartan

About Losartan

Losartan is used to manage high blood pressure (hypertension), heart failure and protect your kidney in diabetes or kidney disease.

You will experience the benefits of this medication some weeks after you start treatment. Losartan is usually an alternate if your first medicine caused unbearable dry cough.

How does Losartan work?

Tensed blood vessels play a role in increasing blood pressure. Losartan prevents this tension by replacing a chemical (angiotensin II) that causes blood vessels to get tense.

Losartan helps the blood vessels to relax and widen to improve blood flow and lower blood pressure.

Useful information

• Heart failure occurs when the power with which the heart beats to pump blood to the body reduces. This makes you easily fatigued and fluid to build up in your legs or chest (edema). High blood pressure and other heart diseases can cause heart failure if not managed.

What are the side-effects I may experience?

You may experience:

• Headache

• Dizziness

  You may experience dizziness when you start taking captopril. You can take it in the evening or when sitting down to manage this effect.

• Diarrhea

• Muscle and joint pain

Useful information

You should not abruptly stop taking any high blood pressure medications. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if any side effects of medications become unbearable.

Are there any medications and foods I should avoid?

• You may eat normally while taking losartan. Excess salt can cause hypertension. It is advisable to reduce your salt intake.

• Alcohol can worsen dizzy side effects. Alcohol also worsens high blood pressure. Consumption of alcohol is therefore not recommended.

I forgot a dose. What should I do?

If you forget to take your prescription, take it as soon as you remember.

If you miss a dose, don’t take a double dose.

If your next dose is approaching, skip the missed dose and take the next one.

Can I drive or operate machinery?

Your driving ability can be impaired when your dose is changed or when you start using losartan.

Alcohol can worsen this effect.

Should I be bothered about possible addiction or dependence?

Losartan isn’t addictive.

Will my sexual performance, fertility or contraceptive be impaired?

• Losartan has not been proven to affect sexual performance or fertility.

  Speak to your pharmacist or doctor if you encounter any problems. You should not stop taking your medications.

• Certain contraceptives are not recommended for women with high blood pressure. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any contraceptives long-term.

  Losartan does not affect the effectiveness of contraceptives.

Can I use this medication if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?

• You should not take candesartan when pregnant.

  Losartan can be toxic to your unborn baby’s kidneys and cause retardations.

• Losartan is secreted in breast milk in very small amounts. There is little information on the safety of candesartan when breastfeeding. It is not recommended during breastfeeding.