Losartan Potassium

💊 What is Losartan Potassium used for?

• •High blood pressure (hypertension) in adults and children 6 years of age and older. The label says it is used alone or with other blood pressure medicines.
• •Lowering the chance of stroke in people with high blood pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy (an enlarged wall of the heart's main pumping chamber). The label says there is evidence this benefit does not apply to Black patients.
• •Slowing the worsening of diabetic kidney disease (nephropathy) in adults with type 2 diabetes who have or had high blood pressure.

How it works

The label says losartan potassium can help your blood vessels relax so your blood pressure is lower. The label describes it as an angiotensin II receptor blocker that acts on the AT1 receptor.

How it is usually taken

• •Take it exactly as prescribed. The label says your prescriber may change your dose if needed.
• •It can be taken with or without food.
• •Follow the instructions from your prescriber or pharmacist about timing.
• •The label says that if you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is close to your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the next dose at your regular time.

Comes as

• •Film-coated tablets, 25 mg (white to off-white, capsule-shaped)
• •Film-coated tablets, 50 mg (white to off-white, capsule-shaped)
• •Film-coated tablets, 100 mg (white to off-white, capsule-shaped)

⚠️ Losartan Potassium side effects

🛑 Who should not take Losartan Potassium, and who should be careful

The label says not to take it if

• 🚨You are allergic to any of the ingredients in losartan potassium tablets. The full ingredient list is at the end of the patient leaflet.
• 🚨You have diabetes and are taking a medicine called aliskiren to lower blood pressure.

Tell your doctor before taking it if

• •Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
• •Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
• •Tell your doctor if you are vomiting a lot or having a lot of diarrhea.
• •Tell your doctor if you have liver problems or kidney problems.
• •Tell your doctor about all medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
• •Do not use potassium supplements or salt substitutes that contain potassium unless you first talk with your healthcare provider.
• •The label says your kidney function and potassium levels may be monitored, especially in people who are at higher risk.

🔀 Losartan Potassium with other medicines, food and alcohol

The label says to discuss these with your doctor or pharmacist

• •Potassium supplements and salt substitutes containing potassium, or other medicines that may raise potassium levels (the label notes this can lead to high potassium).
• •Water pills (diuretics).
• •Lithium, a medicine used to treat a certain kind of depression. The label says lithium levels can rise and cause lithium toxicity, so lithium levels may need monitoring.
• •Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including COX-2 inhibitors, used for pain and arthritis. The label says these may affect kidney function and reduce the blood pressure-lowering effect.
• •Other blood pressure medicines. The label warns that using two medicines that block the renin-angiotensin system together, such as an ARB with an ACE inhibitor or aliskiren, is linked to higher risks of low blood pressure, fainting, high potassium, and kidney changes.

Alcohol and food

The label says losartan potassium tablets can be taken with or without food. The label does not mention alcohol.

🤰 Losartan Potassium in pregnancy and breastfeeding

Pregnancy

The label says losartan potassium can cause fetal harm when given to a pregnant woman. It says that using drugs that act on the renin-angiotensin system during the second and third trimesters reduces fetal kidney function and increases fetal and neonatal illness and death. When pregnancy is detected, the label says to stop the medicine as soon as possible. If you plan to become pregnant, the label says to talk with your doctor about other ways to lower blood pressure.

Breastfeeding

The label says it is not known whether losartan potassium passes into breast milk. It says you should choose either to take losartan potassium tablets or to breastfeed, but not both.

🗓️ Storage, missed doses and taking too much

Storage

The storage details are not fully shown in the text provided. Store the medicine as directed on the label or by your pharmacist. The label says the tablets are supplied in bags of 10 tablets.

If a dose is missed

The label says to take a missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is close to your next dose, do not take the missed dose. Just take the next dose at your regular time.

If too much is taken

The label says that if you take too much, call your doctor or Poison Control Center, or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away. The label says the most likely signs of an overdose are low blood pressure and a fast heartbeat, and that supportive treatment may be given. It also says neither losartan nor its active metabolite can be removed by hemodialysis.

🗒️ Questions to ask about Losartan Potassium

• What blood pressure goal should I aim for while taking this medicine?
• What should I do if I think I might be pregnant?
• Can I use salt substitutes, and which ones are safe for me while I take this?
• Which of my other medicines, including over-the-counter pain relievers, could interact with this medicine?
• How often will my kidney function and potassium levels be checked?
• What should I do if I feel dizzy or faint after starting this medicine?

❓ Losartan Potassium: frequently asked questions