Losartan Potassium & Amlodipine tablet is used for the treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension) in patients who are already taking losartan and amlodipine at these doses, instead of taking two medicines separately.

The recommended dose of Losartan potassium & Amlodipine Tablet is one tablet per day.

The tablets should be swallowed with a glass of water, with or without food. Patients are advised to try to take the daily dose at about the same time each day. Losartan potassium & Amlodipine Tablet must not be taken with grapefruit juice.

It is important that the patient continues to take until the doctor tells otherwise.

Use in children and adolescents

The use of Losartan potassium & Amlodipine Tablet in children and adolescents are not recommended

What to do if more Losartan potassium & Amlodipine Tablet has been taken then it should?

If a patient accidentally takes too many tablets, the doctor must be contacted immediately. Taking too many tablets may cause the blood pressure to become low or even dangerously low. The patient may feel dizzy, lightheaded, faint, or weak. If the blood pressure drop is severe enough shock can occur. The skin could feel cool and clammy and the patient could lose consciousness.

What to do if taking Losartan potassium & Amlodipine Tablet has been forgotten?

If the patient accidentally misses a daily dose, the next dose should be taken as normal. A double dose should not be taken to make up for a forgotten dose.

May taking Losartan potassium & Amlodipine Tablet be stopped?

The doctor will advise the patient how long to take this medicine. Your condition may return if you stop using your medicine before you are advised.

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Other medicines and Losartan Potassium & Amlodipine Tablets

It is advisable to inform the doctor if the patient is taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.

It is particularly important if the patient is taking the following medicines while under treatment with Losartan Potassium & Amlodipine Tablets:

• other blood pressure-lowering medicines as they may additionally reduce the blood pressure.
• Blood pressure may also be lowered by one of the following drugs / class of drugs: tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotics, baclofene, amifostine
• medicines which retain potassium or may increase potassium levels (e.g. potassium supplements, potassium-containing salt substitutes or potassium-sparing medicines such as certain diuretics [amiloride, triamterene, spironolactone] or heparin)
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as indomethacin, including COX-2-inhibitors (medicines that reduce inflammation, and can be used to help relieve pain) as they may reduce the blood pressure lowering effect of losartan.

If the kidney function is impaired, the concomitant use of these medicines may lead to a worsening of kidney function.

• Losartan Potassium & Amlodipine Tablets may affect or be affected also by other medicines, such as ketoconazole, itraconazole, fluconazole, ritonavir, indinavir, rifampicin, erythromycin, clarithromycin,- verapamil, diltiazem, dantrolene, simvastatin.

• Lithium containing medicines should not be taken in combination with Losartan Potassium & Amlodipine Tablets without close supervision by the doctor. Special precautionary measures (e.g. blood tests) maybe appropriate.

Losartan Potassium & Amlodipine Tablets with food and drink

Grapefruit juice and grapefruit should not be consumed by people who are taking Losartan Potassium & Amlodipine Tablets. This is because grapefruit and grapefruit juice can lead to an increase in the blood levels of the active ingredient amlodipine, which can cause an unpredictable increase in the blood pressure-lowering effect of Losartan Potassium & Amlodipine Tablets

Like all medicines, Losartan potassium & Amlodipine Tablet can cause side effects, although not everybody experiences them.

If experiencing any of the following, severe side effects after taking this medicine the doctor must be visited immediately: sudden wheeziness, chest pain, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing; swelling of eyelids, face or lips; swelling of the tongue and throat which causes great difficulty breathing; severe skin reactions including intense skin rash, hives, reddening of the skin over the whole body, severe itching, blistering, peeling and swelling of the skin, inflammation of mucous membranes (Stevens-Johnson Syndrome) or other allergic reactions; heart attack, abnormal heartbeat; inflamed pancreas which may cause severe abdominal and back pain accompanied with feeling very unwell.

Side-effects due to amlodipine

Common: headache, dizziness, sleepiness, palpitations, abdominal pain, feeling sick, ankle swelling, tirednessUncommon: mood changes, anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, trembling, taste abnormalities, fainting, weakness, numbness or tingling sensation in your limbs; loss of pain sensation, joint or muscle pain, muscle cramps, back pain, hair loss, increased sweating, itchy skin, red patches on the skin, skin discoloration.

Rare: confusion.

Very rare: cough, swelling of the gums, abdominal bloating

Side-effects due to losartan

Common: dizziness, low blood pressure, debility, fatigue, reduced number of red blood cells, increase in blood urea, serum creatinine and serum potassium in patients with heart failure.

Uncommon: somnolence, headache, sleep disorders, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, rash

Rare: hypersensitivity, angioedema, inflammation of blood vessels, very rapid and irregular heartbeat

Not known: reduced number of thrombocytes, migraine, liver function abnormalities, muscle, and joint pain, flu-like symptoms

Pregnancy and breast-feeding

Those who are pregnant or breast-feeding, think they may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask the doctor for advice before taking this medicine.

Driving and using machines

Losartan potassium & Amlodipine Tablet may affect the ability to drive or use machines. If the tablets make the patient feel sick, dizzy or tired, or causes a headache, it is better not to drive or use machines and the doctor should be contacted immediately