Losartan Losartan is a medicine widely used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure, and to protect your kidneys if you have both kidney disease and diabetes. Losartan helps to prevent future strokes, heart attacks and kidney problems. It also improves your survival if you're taking it for heart failure or after a heart attack. This medicine is only available on prescription. It comes as tablets. NHS coronavirus adviceIf you have coronavirus, or think you might have it, keep taking your blood pressure medicines as usual. There is no clear evidence that taking angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) like losartan will cause complications. Updated: 17 March 2020 Key facts
Who can and cant take losartan Losartan can be taken by adults aged 18 years and over. Children aged 6 years and older can take it, but only to treat high blood pressure. Your doctor may prescribe losartan if you've tried taking similar blood pressure-lowering medicines such as ramipril and lisinopril in the past, but had to stop taking them because of side effects such as a dry, irritating cough. Losartan isn't suitable for some people. To make sure losartan is safe for you, tell your doctor if you:
Take losartan tablets once a day. Your doctor may suggest that you take your first dose before bedtime, because it can make you dizzy. After the very first dose, you can take losartan at any time of day. Try to take it at the same time every day. You can take losartan tablets with or without food. Swallow the tablets with a drink of water. How much will I take?The dose of losartan you take depends on why you need the medicine. Take it as instructed by your doctor. Usually, adults take:
The dose may be lower if you've recently lost body fluids (for example, because of diarrhoea or being sick) or you're over the age of 75. If your child needs losartan, your doctor will usually use your child's weight to work out the right dose. Will my dose go up or down?After a few weeks your doctor will check your blood pressure and ask you if you're getting any side effects. You may also have blood tests to check how well your kidneys are working and the amount of potassium in your blood. Your doctor will then decide whether to change your dose of losartan. If losartan doesn't bring your blood pressure down, your doctor may want to increase the dose. If your blood pressure gets too low or you get side effects, your doctor may want to lower your dose. ImportantTake losartan even if you feel well, as you will still be getting the benefits of the medicine. If you get severe diarrhoea or vomiting for any reason, contact your doctor or a pharmacist. They’ll be able to advise you about what to do. They may recommend that you stop taking losartan until you’re better, and you’re able to eat and drink normally again. What if I forget to take it?If you miss a dose of losartan, take it as soon as you remember. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten one. If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways of helping you remember your medicine. What if I take too much?If you take too many losartan tablets by accident, contact your doctor or go to your nearest hospital A&E department straight away. An overdose of losartan can cause dizziness, sleepiness and a pounding heartbeat. The amount of losartan that can lead to an overdose varies from person to person. Call a doctor or go to A&E as soon as possible if you take too much losartanIf you need to go to your nearest hospital A&E department, do not drive yourself - get someone else to drive you or call for an ambulance. Take the losartan packet or leaflet inside it plus any remaining medicine with you. Like all medicines, losartan can cause side effects although not everyone gets them. Side effects often improve as your body gets used to the medicine. Common side effectsThese common side effects happen in more than 1 in 100 people:
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or don't go away. Serious side effectsIt happens rarely, but some people have serious side effects after taking losartan. Call a doctor straight away if you have:
Serious allergic reactionIn rare cases, losartan may cause a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). Call 999 or go to A&E if:
You could be having a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital. These are not all the side effects of losartan. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet. You can report any suspected side effect to the UK safety scheme. How to cope with side effects What to do about:
Losartan is not normally recommended in pregnancy or when breastfeeding. However, your doctor may prescribe it if they think the benefits of the medicine outweigh the risks. If you're trying to get pregnant or you're already pregnant, talk to your doctor about the benefits and possible harms of taking losartan. These will depend on how many weeks pregnant you are and the reason you need to take it. There may be other treatments that are safer for you. For more information about how losartan can affect you and your baby during pregnancy, visit the Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy (BUMPS) website. Losartan and breastfeedingSmall amounts of losartan may get into breast milk. This can cause low blood pressure in the baby. Talk to your doctor, as other medicines might be better while you are breastfeeding. Tell your doctor if youre:
Some medicines interfere with the way losartan works. Tell your doctor if you're taking:
Mixing losartan with herbal remedies or supplementsThere's very little information about taking herbal remedies and supplements with losartan. ImportantFor safety, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements. How does losartan work? How long does losartan take to work? How long will I take it for? Is it safe to take for a long time? What will happen if I stop taking it? Can I come off losartan now my blood pressure is lower? Can taking sartans increase the risk of getting cancer? Can I drink alcohol with losartan? Is there any food or drink I should avoid? Are there similar medicines to losartan? What are the differences between losartan and other medicines for high blood pressure? Can I take losartan before surgery? Can I take losartan for migraines? Can I take losartan for Raynauds phenomenon? Can I take losartan to protect myself against Alzheimers disease? Is losartan addictive? Will it affect my sex life? Will it affect my fertility? Will it affect my contraception? Can I drive or ride a bike? Can lifestyle changes help? ![]() BestCareCompare | ||||||
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