Losartan - un bloccante del recettore dell'angiotensina

About losartan

Losartan is an angiotensin receptor blocker. It is also called an angiotensin-II receptor antagonist, or an AIIRA. You will have been prescribed losartan for one of the following reasons:

• To lower blood pressure if your la pressione sanguigna è troppo alta (ipertensione).

• To help your heart if it is not beating as well as it should (insufficienza cardiaca).

• To help protect your kidneys if you have kidney disease associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Losartan works by blocking the effect of a substance in your body called angiotensin II. Angiotensin II causes your blood vessels to narrow and also leads to the production of another substance called aldosterone, which increases the amount of fluid in your blood. By preventing the action of angiotensin II, losartan reduces how much work your heart has to do and lowers your blood pressure. It also has a protective effect on your kidneys.

You may be prescribed losartan to take on its own, or alongside other medicines to help your condition. There is a combination tablet available called Cozaar-Comp® which contains losartan with a diuretic called hydrochlorothiazide. This combination tablet can be prescribed to people with high blood pressure to help reduce the total number of tablets that need to be taken each day.

Before taking losartan

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine can only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking losartan it is important that your doctor knows:

• Se sei incinta o stai allattando.

• If you know you have a blockage of the artery which supplies blood to your kidneys, a condition called renal artery stenosis.

• Se hai problemi con le valvole cardiache o il muscolo cardiaco.

• Se hai un problema con il funzionamento del tuo fegato.

• Se stai assumendo altri medicinali. Questo include qualsiasi medicinale che stai assumendo e che è disponibile per l'acquisto senza prescrizione medica, così come i medicinali a base di erbe e complementari.

• Se hai mai avuto una reazione allergica a un medicinale, o se hai avuto qualsiasi altro tipo di reazione allergica.

How to take losartan

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about losartan and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you could experience from taking it.

• Take losartan once each day, exactly as your doctor tells you to. There are several different strengths of tablet available. When you first start treatment your doctor may gradually increase the strength of the tablets to suit your condition. Each time you collect a fresh supply, it's a good idea to check the strength on the packet to make sure they are what you are expecting.

• Try to take losartan at the same time of day each day. For most people this will be in the morning. Taking your doses at the same time each day will help you to remember to take losartan regularly.

• Swallow the tablet whole with a drink of water. You can take losartan either before or after a meal.

• Se dimentichi di prendere una dose, prendila appena te ne ricordi. Se non te ne ricordi fino al giorno successivo, salta la dose dimenticata. Non prendere due dosi contemporaneamente per compensare una dose dimenticata.

Ottenere il massimo dal tuo trattamento

• Try to keep your regular appointments with your doctor. This is so your progress can be monitored. Your doctor may want you to have some blood tests from time to time to check on your kidneys, and also how much potassium is in your blood.

• If you buy any medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are suitable to take with losartan. This is because some anti-inflammatory painkillers (such as aspirin and ibuprofen) can interfere with the way it works, and also may increase the risk of side-effects.

• È molto importante seguire qualsiasi consiglio dietetico e sullo stile di vita che ti è stato dato dal tuo medico, come mangiare una dieta sana, non fumare e fare esercizio fisico regolarmente.

• If you drink alcohol, ask your doctor for advice. Your doctor may recommend that you do not drink alcohol while you are on losartan because it will increase the risk of side-effects, such as feeling dizzy or faint.

• Cerca di evitare i sostituti del sale che contengono potassio. Questo perché i sostituti aumenteranno la quantità di potassio nel tuo sangue e questo può causare problemi.

• If you are having an operation or dental treatment, tell the person carrying out the treatment that you are taking losartan. This is because your blood pressure may drop too low if you are given some anaesthetics.

• Treatment with losartan is usually long-term unless you experience an adverse effect. Continue to take the tablets regularly, unless you are advised otherwise by your doctor.

Can losartan cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with losartan. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Se si verificano altri sintomi che ritieni possano essere dovuti al medicinale, parla con il tuo medico o farmacista per ulteriori consigli.

How to store losartan

• Tenere tutti i medicinali fuori dalla portata e dalla vista dei bambini.

• Store the tablets in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.

Informazioni importanti su tutti i medicinali