Generic Hyzaar

Hyzaar, known generically as losartan, is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist drug used mostly to treat hypertension or high blood pressure. Hyzaar is the first angiotensin II receptor antagonist to be marketed to the public, and it is currently distributed by Merck & Co. worldwide under the aforementioned trade name.

Hyzaar isn't a cure for diabetic nephropathy or high blood pressure, although it has been known to relieve their symptoms. Nevertheless, it has been approved for use in children ages six and older for treatment of hypertension.

Hyzaar usually comes in tablet form and it's recommended to be taken either once or twice every day. The medication may be taken with or without food, and it should not be broken, chewed, or crushed before or during intake unless your healthcare provider instructs you to do so. It should also be taken at the same time each day to maintain it at an even level in your blood. For this drug to work at optimum levels, you must take it as prescribed by your doctor or pharmacist.

As with all medicines and drugs under the angiotensin II receptor antagonist category, Hyzaar is best used in treating hypertension, although it has other uses like reducing renal disease progression and delaying progression of diabetic nephropathy with type 2 diabetes, hyerptension, and proteinuria (typically dosed with more than 900 milligrams a day) or microalbuminuria (typically dosed with more than 30 milligrams a day).

If a patient suddenly halts Hyzaar treatment, the medication will stop working. Also keep in mind that the Hyzaar dose your doctor will give you can vary depending on factors like medical conditions or pre-existing diseases you may have, the medical condition being treated, how you respond to the drug, and other drugs you may be currently taking.

As with many other medicines, you should not adjust your dose unless your doctor specifically tells you to do so. Also be warned that, in studies of ACE Incibitors in patients with unilateral or bilateral renal artery stenosis, there have been increases in serum creatinine or blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Similar effects have been reported with Hyzaar treatment, although they were reversible upon halting intake of the medication.

Additionally, electrolyte imbalances are known to be common in patients with renal impairment—with or without diabetes—that should be addressed. Reports of hyerkalemia incidents was higher in a group treated with Hyzaar compared to the placebo group in a clinical study conducted in Type 2 diabetic patients with proteinuria. Then again, few patients stopped taking Hyzaar because of hyperkalemia.

Furthermore, based on pharmacokinetic data that demonstrates significantly increased plasma concentrations of the drug in cirrhotic patients, it's advised that a lower dose should be considered for those with impaired liver functions. Changes in renal function caused by inhibiting the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system have been reported in susceptible individuals undergoing Hyzaar therapy. In fact, in some patients, these changes in renal function were reversible upon discontinuation of treatment.

The most common side effects associated with Hyzaar treatment in people with high blood pressure include back pain, nasal congestion, infection such as the common cold or flu, and dizziness. As for patients with diabetic nephropathy, frequent side effects include anemia, weight gain, low blood pressure or hypotension, an increase in blood potassium levels, fatigue, and diarrhea.

In those whose renal function may depend on the activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system—for instance, patients with severe congestive heart failure—therapy using angiostenin converting enzyme inhibitors has been connected with progressive azotemia or oliguria, as well as—although rare—acute renal failure and death. Similar side effects have been reported with Hyzaar treatment.