Losartan potassium (
Cozaar®) is a prescription medicine that has been licensed to treat several conditions related to the heart and blood vessels. It is part of a class of drugs called angiotensin II receptor blockers, or ARBs for short.
Losartan is manufactured by Merck & Co.
Uses of losartan include:
Losartan is not a cure for high
blood pressure or diabetic nephropathy.
Losartan has been approved for use in children ages six and older to treat high blood pressure.
Losartan is part of a class of drugs called angiotensin II receptor blockers.
As the name of its drug class implies, losartan blocks angiotensin II receptors. This decreases the effectiveness of a chemical known as angiotensin II, which normally causes blood vessels to narrow (constrict). By blocking the effects of angiotensin II, losartan causes blood vessels to relax, which can
lower blood pressure.