Losart 50mg Tablet 1 Strip

✔️ Hypertension (Adults)

• Usual starting dose: 50 mg once daily.
• Dose may be increased to 100 mg daily, either as a single dose or divided into two doses if necessary.
• Patients with reduced blood volume (such as those taking high-dose diuretics) may start with 25 mg once daily.

✔️ Side Effects of Losartan

• Dizziness
• Low blood pressure (hypotension)
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• Increased potassium levels (hyperkalemia)
• Elevated blood urea levels
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Headache
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Cough
• Chest pain
• Upper respiratory tract infections
• Urinary tract infections
• Gastritis
• Back pain
• Swelling (edema)
• Angioedema (rare but serious)

✔️ Renal Impairment

• For patients with creatinine clearance (CrCl) below 20 mL/min, the recommended starting dose is 25 mg once daily.

✔️ Diabetic Nephropathy in Type 2 Diabetes

• Initial dose: 50 mg once daily.
• May be increased to 100 mg once daily depending on blood pressure response.

✔️ Heart Failure, LVH, and Stroke Risk Reduction

• Initial dose: 50 mg once daily.
• Depending on blood pressure control, hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg daily may be added and/or losartan increased to 100 mg daily.
• Hydrochlorothiazide may subsequently be increased to 25 mg daily if required.

✔️ Pediatric Hypertension

Children over 6 years

• Body weight 20–50 kg: Initial dose 0.7 mg/kg once daily (maximum 50 mg daily).
• Body weight over 50 kg: Initial dose 1.4 mg/kg once daily (maximum 100 mg daily).

Children under 6 years

• Safety and effectiveness have not been established.

✔️ Losartan may interact with several medications, including:

• Fluconazole and rifampicin, which may reduce losartan blood levels.
• Lithium, increasing lithium levels and the risk of toxicity.
• NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen and naproxen), which may reduce blood pressure-lowering effects and increase the risk of kidney impairment.
• Potassium-sparing diuretics (e.g., spironolactone, amiloride, triamterene), potassium supplements, or potassium-containing salt substitutes, which may increase the risk of hyperkalemia.
• Aliskiren, particularly in diabetic patients or those with renal impairment, may significantly increase the risk of kidney damage, high potassium levels, and severe hypotension.

✔️ How to take Losartan

• May be taken with or without food.
• Swallow the tablet whole.
• Do not crush, chew, or break the tablet.
• Take the medication at the same time each day for optimal benefit.

✔️ If a dose is missed:

• Skip the missed dose and continue with the regular dosing schedule.
• Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

✔️ Symptoms of overdose may include:

• Marked hypotension
• Dizziness
• Excessive lowering of blood pressure
• Changes in kidney function

✔️ Losart 50 should not be used in:

• Patients with known hypersensitivity to losartan or any component of the formulation
• Pregnant women
• Patients with severe liver impairment
• Patients with diabetes and renal impairment (GFR below 60 mL/min) who are taking aliskiren

✔️ Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Pregnancy

• Classified as Pregnancy Category C during the first trimester and Category D during the second and third trimesters.
• Use during pregnancy may harm the developing fetus and should be avoided.

Breastfeeding

• It is unknown whether losartan passes into breast milk.
• Breastfeeding while taking losartan is generally not recommended.

✔️ Use with caution in:

Patients with volume depletion (e.g., due to high-dose diuretics)

• Bilateral renal artery stenosis
• Aortic or mitral valve stenosis
• Mild to moderate liver disease
• Kidney impairment

Regular monitoring is recommended for:

• Blood pressure
• Kidney function (serum creatinine and urea)
• Electrolyte levels, especially potassium

Patients may experience dizziness when beginning therapy. Standing up slowly from a sitting or lying position can help reduce this effect.

✔️ Storage:

• Store in a cool, dry place.
• Protect from moisture and direct sunlight.
• Keep out of reach of children.