Patients with chronic renal disease often end up taking four or five different medications to lower their blood pressure. Losartan potassium -- commonly referred to as losartan or by its trade name, Cozaar -- is one of the more commonly prescribed. Relatively easy to tolerate, it has few side effects. Although the jury is still out on it, this drug may have renoprotective benefits as well.
Renal Hypertension
Most patients with chronic kidney disease also have high blood pressure. When the kidneys are scarred, they filter less blood. The organs' sensors mistakenly interpret this to mean that the total blood volume has dropped, so the kidneys secrete a hormone that constricts the blood vessels, further raising the blood pressure, which causes more scarring of the kidneys. A vicious cycle ensues as more hormone is secreted to constrict the blood vessels.
ARBs
Losartan belongs to class of blood pressure medications called angiotensin II receptor blockers, or ARBs. This class of drugs blocks naturally-occurring substances that constrict blood vessels. Other blood pressure medications such as angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors -- also known as ACE inhibitors -- calcium channel blockers, diuretics, beta blockers and others can be taken with losartan, if necessary.
Importance
Getting control of hypertension is one of the single most important things that you can do to prolong the life of their kidneys. According to the U.S. Renal Data System Annual Data Report for 2007, 26.8 percent of all cases of end-stage renal disease are caused by hypertension alone. Given these numbers, blood pressure management is even more important if you have kidney disease.
Side Effects
Although most people do not experience side effects, instances of dizziness, fatigue, leg, knee, or back pain, and diarrhea have been reported. Often these side effects can be eliminated by adjusting the dose. More serious, and even more rare, are severe allergic reactions such as hives, difficulty breathing and chest pain.
