Introduction
Lk 50 is a medicine used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease. Lowering blood pressure helps to prevent future heart attack and stroke. This medicine is also effective in preserving kidney function in patients with diabetes.
Lk 50 can be prescribed either alone or in combination with other medicines. It may be taken with or without food during the day or at night. However, try to take it at the same time each day to get the most benefit. It is important to continue taking it regularly even if you feel well or if your blood pressure is controlled. Most people with high blood pressure do not feel ill, but if you stop taking this medicine, your condition could get worse. This is a widely used medicine and is considered safe for long-term use.
Making some changes in your lifestyle will also help lower your blood pressure. These may include regular exercise, losing weight, smoking cessation, reducing alcohol intake, and reducing the amount of salt in your diet as advised by your doctor. This medicine is tolerated well by most patients and has few side effects. Dizziness, particularly after the first dose, is known to occur in some people. This may be associated with headache. Let your doctor know if these side effects bother you or do not go away. No weight gain has been seen with the regular use of this medicine.
Before taking this medicine, let your doctor know if you have any kidney or liver problems. Pregnant or breastfeeding mothers should also consult their doctor before taking it. Your doctor may check your kidney function, blood pressure and potassium levels in your blood at regular intervals while you are taking this medicine.
Uses of Lk 50
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Heart failure
- Prevention of heart attack and stroke
Side effects of Lk 50
Common
- Dizziness
- Decreased blood pressure
- Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose level)
- Increased potassium level in blood
- Increased blood urea
How to use Lk 50
Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. Lk 50 may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time.
How Lk 50 works
Lk 50 is an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB). It relaxes the blood vessel by blocking the action of a chemical that usually makes blood vessels tighter. This lowers the blood pressure, allowing the blood to flow more smoothly to different organs and the heart to pump more efficiently.
What if you forget to take Lk 50?
If you miss a dose of Lk 50, skip it and continue with your normal schedule. Do not double the dose.
Indication
Diabetic nephropathy, Hypertension, Stroke risk reduction of hypertensive or LVH patients, Heart Failure, Hypertensive Patients with Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
Administration
May be taken with or without food.
Adult Dose
Oral
Hypertension
Adult: 50 mg once daily, may increase to 100 mg/day as single dose or in 2 divided doses if needed. Patients w/ intravascular volume depletion: Initially, 25 mg once daily.
Diabetic nephropathy in Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Adult: Initially, 50 mg once daily, may increase to 100 mg once daily depending on BP response.
Heart failure, Hypertension and Left Ventricular Hypertrophy, Stroke risk reduction of hypertensive or LVH patients:
Adult: Initially, 50 mg once daily. Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg daily should be added and/or the dose of Losartan should be increased to 100 mg once daily followed by an increase in hydrochlorothiazide to 25 mg once daily based on blood pressure response
Child Dose
Hypertension
<6 years: Safety and efficacy not established
Child: >6 yr 20-50 kg: Initially, 0.7 mg/kg. Max: 50 mg/day;
>50 kg: Initially, 1.4 mg/kg. Max: 100 mg/day.
Renal Dose
Renal impairment: CrCl <20 ml/min: Initially 25 mg once daily.
Contraindication
Losartan potassium is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to the active ingredient or any component of the drug. Concomitant use w/ aliskiren in patients w/ diabetes and renal impairment (GFR <60 mL/min). Severe hepatic impairment. Pregnancy.
Mode of Action
Losartan is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist. It selectively and competitively blocks the vasoconstricting and aldosterone-secreting effects of angiotensin II by selectively antagonising its binding to AT1 receptors.
Precaution
Volume-depleted patients including patients on high-dose diuretics. Patients w/ bilateral renal artery stenosis , aortic or mitral stenosis. Renal and mild to moderate hepatic impairment. Lactation. Monitoring Parameters Monitor BP, electrolytes and renal function.
Lactation: Unknown if excreted in milk; not recommended
Side Effect
>10%
Fatigue (14%),Hypoglycemia (14%),Anemia (14%),Urinary tract infection (UTI) (13%),Chest pain (12%),Weakness (14%),Diarrhea (2-15%),Cough; incidence higher in previous cough related to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor therapy (3-11%)
1-10%
Upper respiratory tract infection (8%),Hypotension (7%),Dizziness (4%),Cellulitis (7%),Gastritis (5%),Nausea (2%)
Frequency Not Defined
Angioedema,Edema/swelling,Hypotension in hypovolemic or diuretic-using patients,Asthenia,Headache,Malaise,Nausea,Abdominal pain,Hyperkalemia,Back pain,Worsening renal failure
Pregnancy Category Note
Pregnancy Categories C (first trimester) and D (second and third trimesters).
Interaction
May decrease plasma levels / fluconazole and rifampicin. May increase serum lithium levels and toxicity. May antagonise hypotensive effect and increase risk of renal impairment w/ NSAIDs. Increased risk of hyperkalaemia w/ K-sparing diuretics (e.g. amiloride, triamterene, spironolactone), K supplements or K-containing salt substitutes.
Potentially Fatal: May increase nephrotoxic, hyperkalaemic and hypotensive effect w/ aliskiren in patients w/ diabetes and renal impairment (GFR <60 mL/min).