High blood pressure, medically known as hypertension, is a common disorder among Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it affects 1 out of 3 people. If left untreated or undertreated, it could lead to serious complications such as stroke, kidney disease and heart attacks. A myriad of drugs, with different mechanisms of action, exist for the treatment of high blood pressure. Losartan Potassium is one of these agents.
What Is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is a measurement of the force of your blood against the walls of your arteries as it moves throughout your body. Measurements greater than or equal to 140/90 mmHg are considered high. The top number called the systolic pressure, represents the blood pressure when your heart is pumping, and the bottom number, the diastolic pressure, represents when the heart is filling or when it's between beats.
Underlying Physiology
Your blood pressure may increase as a result of a number of factors such as increased fluid in your body, increased heart rate, and constriction or narrowing of your blood vessels. Drugs used to treat high blood pressure work by affecting one of these underlying mechanisms.
How Losartan Works
Losartan potassium, also sold under the brand Cozaar, is a member of a class of drugs called angiotensin receptor blockers. It works by blocking the constricting action of a chemical in your body called angiotensin. This chemical naturally narrows your blood vessels. Blocking it results in the widening of your blood vessels, thereby reducing the force of blood against its walls.
Losartan Potassium Dose
Losartan potassium 50 mg is the usual starting dose for high blood pressure. It may be increased to a total daily dose of 100 mg, given one to two times a day.
References
- Centers for Disease Control: Hypertension
- Food and Drug Administration: Cozaar
- "Drug Information Handbook"; Charles Lacy et al. 2008
