Description
Clinical Pharmacology:
Losartan belongs to a group of medicines known as angiotensin-II receptor antagonists. Angiotensin-II is a substance produced in the body which binds to receptors in blood vessels, causing them to tighten. This results in an increase in blood pressure. Losartan prevents the effect of angiotensin-II, causing the blood vessels to relax which in turn lowers your blood pressure. Losartan slows the decrease of kidney function in patients with high blood pressure and type II diabetes.
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. Your doctor will decide on the appropriate dose of Losartan Potassium Tablets, depending on your condition and whether you are taking other medicines. It is important to continue taking Losartan Potassium Tablets for as long as your doctor prescribes it in order to maintain smooth control of your blood pressure.
Methods and routes of administration
The tablets should be swallowed with a glass of water. You should try to take your daily dose at about the same time each day.
Adults
Treatment usually starts with 50 mg losartan once a day. The maximal blood pressure lowering effect should be reached 3-6 weeks after beginning treatment. In some patients, the dose may later be increased to 100 mg losartan (two tablets of Losartan Potassium 50 mg) once daily
If you have the impression that the effect of losartan is too strong or too weak, please talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Use in children and adolescents
Children below 6 years of age
Losartan Potassium tablets are not recommended for use in children under 6 years old, as it has not been shown to work in this age group.
Children aged 6 – 18 years old
The recommended starting dose in patients who weigh between 20 and 50kg is 0.7mg of losartan per kg of body weight administered once a day (up to 25mg of Losartan).
Dosage in special patient groups
The doctor may advise a lower dose, especially when starting treatment in certain patients such as those treated with diuretics in high doses, in patients with liver impairment, or in patients over the age of 75 years.
The use of losartan is not recommended in patients with severe hepatic impairment
If you take more Losartan Potassium Tablets
If you accidentally take too many tablets, or a child swallows some, contact your doctor immediately. Symptoms of overdose are low blood pressure, increased heartbeat, possibly decreased heartbeat.
If you forget to take Losartan Potassium Tablets
If you accidentally miss a daily dose, just take the next dose as normal. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten tablet.
If you stop taking Losartan Potassium Tablets
Do not discontinue the treatment without consulting your doctor even if you feel better. It is important that you take Losartan Potassium Tablets for as long as your doctor prescribes it.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are using, have recently used or might use any other medicines.
Take particular care if you are taking the following medicines while under treatment with Losartan Potassium:
Other blood pressure lowering medicines as they may additionally reduce your blood pressure. Blood pressure may also be lowered by one of the following drugs/ class of drugs:
- tricyclic antidepressants,
- antipsychotics,
- baclofen,
- amifostine,
- medicines which retain potassium or may increase potassium levels non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as indomethacin, including cox-2-inhibitors as they may reduce the blood lowering effect of losartan
If your kidney function is impaired, the concomitant use of these medicines may lead to a worsening of the kidney function
Taking Losartan Potassium tablets with food and drink
Losartan Potassium Tablets may be taken with or without food
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
If you experience the following, stop taking losartan tablets and tell your doctor immediately or go to the casualty department of your nearest hospital:
A severe allergic reaction (rash, itching, swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat that may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing).
Side effects are classified as:
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
dizziness, low blood pressure, (especially after excessive loss of water from the body within blood vessels e.g. in patients with severe heart failure or under treatment with high dose, diuretics),dose-related orthostatic effects such as lowering of blood pressure appearing when rising from lying or sitting position.debility, fatigue, too less sugar in the blood (hypoglycemia), too much potassium in the blood (hyperkalemia).changes in kidney function (maybe reversible upon discontinuation of treatment) including kidney failure, reduced number of red blood cells (anemia)increase in blood urea, serum creatinine and serum potassium in patients with heart failure.
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
somnolence, headache, sleep disorders, feeling of increased heart rate (palpitations), severe chest pain (angina pectoris), shortness of breath (dyspnoea), abdominal pain, severe constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, hives (urticaria), itching (pruritus), rash, localized swelling (edema).cough
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
hypersensitivity, angioedema inflammation of blood vessels numbness or tingling sensation (paraesthesia), fainting (syncope), very rapid and irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation)brain attack (stroke) (rapidly developing loss of brain function(s)),inflammation of the liver (hepatitis),elevated blood alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, usually resolved upon discontinuation of treatment.
Not Known
reduced number of thrombocytes, migraine, liver function abnormalities, muscle and joint pain, flu-like symptoms, back pain, and urinary tract infection.Increased sensitivity to the sun (photosensitivity)Unexplained muscle pain with dark (tea-colored) urine ImpotenceInflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)Low levels of sodium in the blood (hyponatremia)DepressionGenerally feeling unwell (malaise)Ringing, buzzing, roaring, or clicking in the ears Disturbed taste (dysgeusia)
Side effects in children are similar to those seen in adults.
Before taking Losartan Potassium tablets, tell your doctor if you
You must tell your doctor if you think you are (or might be) pregnant. Losartan Potassium tablet is not recommended in early pregnancy, and must not be taken if you are more than 3 months pregnant, as it may cause serious harm to your baby if used at that stage
- If you have had a history of angioedema
- if you suffer from excessive vomiting or diarrhea leading to an extreme loss of fluid and/or salt in your body
- if you receive diuretics or are under dietary salt restriction leading to an extreme loss of fluid and salt in your body
- if you are taking any of the following medicines used to treat high blood pressure
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
You must tell your doctor if you think you are (or might become) pregnant. You should not take losartan in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and you must not take them at all after the 13th week as their use during pregnancy may possibly be harmful to the baby. If you become pregnant while on losartan, tell your doctor immediately. A switch to a suitable alternative treatment should be carried out in advance of a planned pregnancy.
Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding or about to start breast-feeding. Losartan is not recommended for mothers who are breastfeeding, and your doctor may choose another treatment for you if you wish to breastfeed. Especially if your baby is a newborn, or born prematurely.
Driving and using machines
No studies on the effects on the ability to drive and use machines have been performed.
Losartan Potassium Tablet is unlikely to affect your ability to drive or use machines. However, as with many other medicines used to treat high blood pressure, losartan may cause dizziness or drowsiness in some people.
If you experience dizziness or drowsiness, you should consult your doctor before attempting such activities.
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