What is Cozaar?

Cozaar is an oral tablet made up of an angiotensin II receptor antagonists (sometimes called ARB blockers) called losartan. We carry both the generic (losartan) and brand (Cozaar) version of the drug losartan. Both of these two options are available in 12.5mg, 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg.

What is Cozaar used for?

Cozaar is prescribed to treat high blood pressure in adults and children (6+). It can also be used to lower the risk of stroke in people with heart disease and slow long term kidney damage in people who suffer from diabetes type 2 who also have high blood pressure. Losartan works to treat these conditions by relaxing the narrow blood vessels, causing them to widen and allowing the blood to flow more easily. The easier it is for blood to flow, the lower the blood pressure becomes.

What is losartan potassium?

Losartan potassium is the active ingredient inside Cozaar that makes it therapeutically effective; it is the salt form of losartan. Cozaar contains between 12.5 and 100 mg of this drug and comes in the form of an oral tablet.

What is losartan?

Losartan is a drug used in medicine responsible for therapeutic effects and benefits of the medication it is used in. However, losartan is a drug that is not usually optimal for dissolution or absorption in the human body and therefore, it is turned into its salt form, which helps boosts effectiveness of the medication. Losartan, in the form of Cozaar, is the shortened and common name for losartan potassium.

What is losartan used for?

Losartan may be used for a few different reasons, so what is Cozaar used to treat? Cozaar is a medication used for the treatment of hypertension; a condition where blood pressure levels are abnormally high resulting in an elevated risk of health complications.

What does losartan do?

Losartan lowers blood pressure; lowering blood pressure when levels are too high can help reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke, heart failure, kidney problems, and more.

When to take losartan morning or night?

Most doctors typically suggest taking your first dose of Cozaar before bedtime; Cozaar may make you dizzy. After you first dose, you may take all future doses at whatever time you feel is most convenient. For best results, you should take the dose the same time each day to ensure a consistent level of the medication remains in your system.  You should follow any directions given to you by your doctor on how and when to take losartan.

What are the most common side effects of losartan?

The most commonly reported side effects of losartan include upper respiratory infections (like the common cold), dizziness, stuffy nose, and back pain. These side effects may or may not occur; other side effects not listed here may also occur. Speak to a health care professional to learn more about losartan and possible side effects.

What can I take instead of losartan?

If losartan isn’t working the best for your condition and no improvement has been seen after several weeks of treatment, you may be able to ask your doctor if you can switch to an alternate medication. There are hundreds of blood pressure medications available and to give you an idea, here are three alternative medications: Losartan is an angiotensin receptor blocker; another hypertension medication of the same class is eprosartan, sold as Teveten. Other hypertension medications of different drug classes include lisinopril, sold as Zestril (an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor) or amlodipine, sold as Norvasc (a calcium channel blocker). We carry all three of these medications as well as Cozaar at My Drug Center. You will need to discuss with your doctor which alternate medication is best for you before switching.

How long does it take for losartan to get out of your system?

To find out how long a medication will, on average, stay in the system for, you must first know the half life of the medication. So, what is the half life of losartan? The half life of losartan (Cozaar) is about 2 hours; it will stay in your system for approximately 5 half-lives. So to answer the question, how long does losartan stay in your system? It will take approximately 10 hours.

How long does it take for losartan to work?

How long for losartan to work will depend entirely on a number of factors; generally, losartan begins to lower blood pressure as soon as 6 hours into treatment. However, the full effect of the medication may not be felt until 3-6 weeks of treatment.

What does losartan look like?

Losartan, in the form of Cozaar, commonly comes as a small egg-shaped tablet, usually either white or green in color. However, sometimes the medication may have a different appearance; this is normal, especially when buying a generic form or purchasing internationally.

How much losartan is safe to take?

Many factors play into how safe a drug is for someone, such as gender, weight, and your health condition; therefore an amount that is safe for one person may not be safe for another. You should speak with your doctor to find out exactly how much losartan is safe for you to take. The max dose for Cozaar (losartan) is 100mg of losartan per day.

What foods to avoid while taking losartan?

Certain foods may interfere with the effectiveness of this medication and therefore should be avoided. If you are uncertain what to avoid, consult your doctor. Typically, when taking an angiotensin receptor blocker (losartan), you should avoid foods that are high in potassium like bananas, oranges (orange juice is okay), cooked spinach or broccoli, and potatoes, as well as; foods that are high in sodium like smoked, cured, salted or canned meat, fish or poultry, frozen breaded meats and dinners, and canned entrees like ravioli or spam. You should also avoid grapefruit; not only is it also potassium-rich but it also contains compounds that block certain enzymes which further reduces the medications effectiveness.

Which is stronger losartan or lisinopril?

Losartan has a higher mg dosage (100mg) available than lisinopril (40mg), however, that doesn’t necessarily mean losartan is stronger – or more effective - than lisinopril. If you are unsure which is best for you, consult your doctor.

What type of drug is losartan?

Losartan is a blood pressure medication, also known as an antihypertensive medication. However, antihypertensive is a hypernym, or a “blanket term”, as many types of drugs can be considered an antihypertensive medication. So, what drug class is Cozaar (losartan) specifically? Losartan is an antihypertensive medication belonging to the class of drugs called angiotensin receptor blockers, sometimes called angiotensin II receptor antagonists.

Who makes losartan?

Losartan, in the form of Cozaar, is manufactured by Merck & Co., an American multinational pharmaceutical company (the world’s 7th largest). Where is Cozaar manufactured? The company has over several manufacturing plants; some locations include Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina.

When does Cozaar go generic?

Cozaar has already gone generic. What is the generic name for Cozaar? Its generic name is losartan; it is named after the medications active ingredient.

How much does Cozaar cost?

In the United States, Cozaar isn’t typically covered by medicare plans and therefore the cost of the medication can be somewhat expensive. In the United States, the cost for Cozaar is significantly more than the cost for the same amount at My Drug Center; we carry losartan tablets for as low as $0.96 per 100mg tablet compared to the average $11.75 per 100mg tablet in the United States.