What is Hyzaar?
Hyzaar (Losartan) belongs to the class of generic drugs called angiotensin receptor blocker and thiazide ‘water pill’. This generic drug encloses two compounds – losartan potassium and hydrochlorothiazide, and is generally used to control high blood pressure or hypertension as well as falling amount of water in the body.
This prescription drug is generally used to treat high blood pressure or hypertension. Losartan present in this generic drug lowers the blood pressure by helping in blocking a naturally occurring substance called angiotensin II, which is the main cause of narrowing the blood vessels and later increase in blood pressure. In addition, the generic drug may also be used to reduce the amount of water in the body. There is a limit of the amount of water that should be present in the body, and if it increases it may cause swelling in any body part resulting to the damage of kidney and other vital organs. Hyzaar (Losartan) helps to regulate the amount of water in the body through urination. Use of this prescription drug has shown to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with high blood pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy except in African-American patients. This generic drug may also be used to treat congestive heart failure and to help protect the kidneys from damage due to diabetes. In addition, the ingredient losartan has been used to lower the risk of strokes in patients with high blood pressure and an enlarged heart.
Before you start using Hyzaar (Losartan), it is important to determine the dose of each component of the medicine – losartan and hydrochlorothiazide. The daily recommended dose of this drug is one or two tablets taken with or without food around the same time every day. The maximum dose of this generic drug is two tablets daily. Hyzaar (Losartan) is available in two strengths – 50-12.5 (50 mg of losartan and 12.5 mg of hydrochlorothiazide) and 100-25 (a double dose of each component) in any pharmacy. The usual starting dose of this drug for adults is one 50-12.5 tablet per day. In case, your blood pressure condition does not respond to this dose after three weeks of medication, your physician may increase the dose to two 50-12.5 Hyzaar (Losartan) tablets taken together once daily or a double dose of 100-25 tablet daily. The safety and efficacy of this drug in children is yet to be studied. There is no specific time duration for which Hyzaar (Losartan) should be taken, as this medicine only helps in reducing the problem, and does not cure the problem completely.
The most common side effects of using Hyzaar (Losartan) may include dizziness, headache, diarrhea, lightheadedness, loss of appetite, constipation and/ or feeling sick (nausea) or vomiting. Many people taking this drug may also experience blurred vision or a stuffy nose as their body adjusts to the medication. Hyzaar may also result in rare, but serious side effects, such as unusual thirst, weakness, confusion, fast heartbeat, and fainting and/ or decreased sexual ability. Contact your physician immediately if any of these conditions occur, persist or worsen. Seek instant medical help if you experience unusual change in the amount of urine (after the first several days of starting this drug), seizures, stomach/ abdominal pain, yellowing eyes or skin, dark urine, unusual fatigue and/ or muscle pain. This drug is unlikely to cause any allergic reaction, but contact your physician if you experience rash, itching, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat and/ or breathing problems.
Tell your physician regarding all your medical conditions, especially if you have kidney and live diseases, heart problems, severe loss of body fluids (dehydration through excessive sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea), mineral/ electrolyte problems, diabetes, gout, lupus, high cholesterol or triglycerides and/ or asthma. Before using the medicine, it is also important to tell your physician if you have any allergic reaction to sulfa drugs or ACE inhibitors. As this generic drug may make you dizzy, it is important to exercise caution while engaging in activities requiring alertness such as driving or using machinery. Pregnant women should us Hyzaar (Losartan) only when it is absolutely necessary during the first three months of pregnancy, while it is not recommended for use during the last six months of the pregnancy due to the risk for fetal harm. Nursing mothers should avoid Hyzaar as it passes into breast milk and may cause potential harm to the nursing infant.
Hyzaar (Losartan) interacts with certain drugs and medical conditions and, hence, needs to be used cautiously. Before begin to use the medicine, tell your physician regarding all the drugs and over-the-counter/ herbal products being used by you, especially amiloride, antidiabetic drugs, cholestyramine, colestipol, corticosteroids, diazoxide, digoxin, drugs which can increase dizziness, drugs which are affected by the acid level in the urine, fluconazole, lithium, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, potassium supplements or salt substitutes and/ or probenecid, rifampin.. This generic drug should not be used with cisapride and/ or dofetilide, as it may result in serious interactions. Also check the labels on all your medicines, such as cough-and-cold products and diet aids, as they may contain ingredients that could increase your heart rate or blood pressure.
Hyzaar Indications
Hyzaar Dosage
Hyzaar Side Effects
Hyzaar Precautions
Hyzaar Interactions