Losartan - Common brands: Cozaar

What losartan is for

Losartan is mainly used to manage high blood pressure (hypertension).

It's a type of medicine called an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB).

It’s also used to help treat:

• heart failure
• kidney disease caused by type 2 diabetes

How to take losartan

Losartan comes as tablets that you swallow.

How much you need to take and for how long depends on why you're taking it, but you'll usually need to take it long-term.

Most people need to take losartan once a day. Your dose may need to be changed after you've been taking it for several weeks. Do not stop taking losartan unless your doctor tells you to.

When taking losartan:

• take it at any time of day, but try to take it at the same time every day
• take it with water, with or without food

Always check the packet or leaflet that comes with your medicine. Ask a pharmacist or doctor for advice if you're not sure how to take it or have any problems taking it.

Your doctor will arrange for you to have blood tests and blood pressure checks while you’re taking losartan, to check how it’s affecting your blood pressure and kidneys.

If you get ill with vomiting, diarrhoea or high temp when taking bumetanide, there's a risk you'll get dehydrated.

Talk to a pharmacist or doctor for advice, or follow the advice they've already given you.

If you miss a dose of losartan

If you forget to take a dose of losartan, take the next dose as normal.

Do not take 2 doses to make up for a missed dose.

If you take too much losartan

Taking too much losartan can be dangerous.

Side effects of losartan

Like all medicines, losartan can cause side effects, but not everyone gets them.

Common side effects

Common side effects of losartan can include:

• dizziness
• tiredness
• headache
• tummy pain
• feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
• swelling in your legs, ankles or feet (oedema)

Losartan should not affect your ability to drive, ride a bike or use machinery. However, if you feel dizzy or tired while taking it, wait until you no longer have these side effects.

Serious side effects

Losartan can sometimes cause serious side effects, although most of them are rare.

Possible serious side effects of losartan include:

• an allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) – causing symptoms such as a swollen throat or tongue, a raised itchy rash and difficulty breathing
• fast or irregular heartbeat, which can feel like your heart is pounding, racing, fluttering or missing a beat
• problems with your liver, causing symptoms such as yellowing of your skin and whites of your eyes, feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting). Yellowing of the skin can be harder to see on black or brown skin

More about side effects

These are not all the side effects of losartan.

For a full list, see the leaflet that came with your medicine or search for your medicine leaflet on the electronic medicines compendium website.

You can report any side effects you get on the Yellow Card website.

Who can and cannot take losartan

Most adults aged 18 years or over can take losartan. Losartan may also be suitable for children aged 6 to 17 years old.

Losartan is not suitable for some people. For example, it may not be suitable if:

• you've had an allergic reaction to other ARB medicines
• you have severe heart failure
• you have problems with your liver
• you've had a condition called angioedema in the past, which is where parts of your body swell suddenly

Before taking losartan, tell your doctor if you have any medical conditions.

Breastfeeding and losartan

Tell your doctor if you're breastfeeding. Losartan is not usually used while breastfeeding. You doctor may offer a different treatment while you're breastfeeding.

Pregnancy and losartan

Tell your doctor if you're pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Losartan is not usually used during pregnancy. Your doctor may offer you different treatment while you're pregnant.

Find out more about taking ARB medicines, such as losartan, during pregnancy on the Bumps (Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy) website.

Taking losartan with other medicines, food and drink

There are some medicines and supplements that may not mix well with losartan.

This includes:

• other medicines used to treat high blood pressure, including beta blockers and ACE inhibitors like lisinopril
• some medicines that remove excess fluid in your body through your pee (diuretics), such as spironolactone
• supplements and salt substitutes (used to flavour food) that contain potassium
• some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including ibuprofen
• fluconzanole (an antifungal commonly used to treat thrush)
• tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline
• antipsychotic medicines, such as quetiapine
• lithium (used to treat some mental health problems)

This is not the full list of medicines that may not mix well with losartan. Before taking it, tell your doctor if you’re taking any other medicines, herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements.

Food, drink and alcohol with losartan

You can generally eat as normal while taking losartan, but avoid drinking grapefruit juice because it can stop your medicine working properly.

Try to limit the amount of alcohol you drink while taking losartan because it can increase the risk of side effects.