Compound
To identify the side effects of Lozap, you need to know what is included in the medication. The basic substance is losartan potassium. As for the excipients, they are also present in the composition. We are talking about magnesium stearate, povidone, dye, dimethicone, talc and others.
Any excipient that is in the composition has no additional properties, which means it cannot cause side effects of Lozap. In addition, these substances do not have a significant effect on the human body.
When to use
To make everything clear, we must first look at the indications for use, and then the side effects of Lozap.
So, patients take the drug in the following cases:
- Hypertonic disease.
- Diabetic nephropathy.
- Chronic heart failure. In this case, the medicine is part of complex therapy.
The main reasons for its use are mentioned above, but there are also less obvious ones. These include left ventricular exhaustion. Doctors often prescribe medications to prevent hypertension. In this case, the side effects of Lozap pale in comparison to the benefits that the patient receives.
Rarely, but still the drug is prescribed in order to reduce the risk of complications associated with the functioning of blood vessels and the heart.
What does Lozap help with?
Doctors recommend taking Lozap for high blood pressure in patients who have the following clinical indications:
- Arterial hypertension;
- Impaired cardiovascular functions;
- Hypertension stage 1-3;
- Left ventricular hypertrophy;
- Chronic form of heart failure;
- Renal pathologies, with concomitant proteinuria, diabetes mellitus.
Tablets can be recommended not only for therapeutic purposes, but also for preventive purposes to prevent a possible stroke or heart attack.
The drug can be prescribed for the prevention of heart attack and stroke due to hypertension
Who should not use it?
In addition to side effects, Lozap has a number of contraindications that cannot be ignored. Among them:
- Age up to eighteen years.
- During pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Hypersensitivity to one of the components included in the drug.
- Renal stenosis.
- Disturbances in the process of water-electrolyte metabolism.
- Liver failure.
- Lack of urine.
- Obstructive diseases of the biliary tract. This paragraph applies only to the drug "Lozap Plus".
- Gout and hyperurecemia with clinical symptoms. We are talking about Lozapa Plus.
- Cholestasis is also a contraindication for Lozapa Plus.
As you can see, there are not many contraindications, but nevertheless, if they exist, they cannot be ignored.
When can it be used with caution?
There are conditions during which the use of the drug is not exactly prohibited, but it should be done with extreme caution. What are we talking about? About such conditions and situations:
- Low pressure.
- Severe chronic heart failure of the fourth functional class.
- Heart failure together with severe renal failure.
- Heart failure in combination with arrhythmia.
- IBS.
- Cerebrovascular accident, cerebral atherosclerosis, intracranial pressure.
- When the level of potassium in the blood is higher than it should be normally.
- Patients over seventy-five years of age.
- Low circulating blood volume.
- Bilateral narrowing of the renal arteries.
- Violation of water and electrolyte balance.
- Liver or kidney failure.
- History of kidney transplant.
- Mitral and aortic valve stenosis.
- Primary hyperaldosteronism.
- History of angioedema.
- Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.
- Diabetes. This item applies to Lozap Plus.
- Hypochloremic alkosis. Also relevant only for Lozapa Plus.
- Hypomagnesemia - for Lozap Plus.
- Diseases of systemic connective tissue. A striking example is lupus erythematosus.
- History or current bronchial asthma.
Also, you should not take the drug together with Ibuprofen, Nurofen or Nemisulide. In case of acute attacks of myopia or closed-angle glaucoma, it is also necessary to take the medicine with great caution.
Lozap or lozap plus: which is better and what is the difference (differences in compositions, reviews from doctors)
Lozap and Lozap Plus are Slovak-made antihypertensive drugs. Able to reduce both blood pressure and pressure in the pulmonary circulation. In addition, they reduce the load on the heart and have a moderate diuretic effect.
Characteristics of Lozap
The drug, which is an angiotensin receptor blocker, is available in the form of elongated, biconvex, white, film-coated tablets, each of which may contain the active ingredient losartan potassium in the following concentrations:
Lozap and Lozap Plus are able to reduce both blood pressure and pressure in the pulmonary circulation.
The medicine is sold in cardboard packs of 30, 60 or 90 tablets.
Losartan potassium, the active component of Lozap, can have the following effects on the body:
- selectively block the action of angiotensin II;
- increase renin activity;
- inhibit aldosterone, thereby reducing potassium losses caused by taking a diuretic;
- normalize the urea content in plasma.
In patients with arterial hypertension not complicated by diabetes mellitus, therapy with this drug can reduce the manifestations of proteinuria.
Patients with chronic heart failure are advised to take the drug prophylactically.
Patients with chronic heart failure are advised to take prophylactic measures to:
- increasing tolerance to physical activity;
- preventing myocardial hypertrophy.
Indications for the use of Lozap are the following conditions:
- Arterial hypertension.
- Chronic heart failure.
- The need to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The dosage should be adjusted downward when:
- liver diseases;
- dehydration;
- carrying out hemodialysis;
- The patient is over 75 years old.
The drug is contraindicated in pregnant and lactating women, as well as persons under 18 years of age. Its use is not recommended in case of hypersensitivity to the active or auxiliary components.
When prescribing, caution should be exercised if the patient has:
- heart failure;
- IHD;
- cerebrovascular diseases;
- stenosis of the renal arteries, or the aortic and mitral valves;
- water-electrolyte imbalance;
- history of angioedema.
Allergy is one of the side effects of taking the drug.
Taking losartan potassium can cause a number of negative reactions. Among them:
- anemia and other deterioration of the circulatory and lymphatic systems;
- manifestations of allergies;
- gout;
- anorexia;
- insomnia or sleep disturbances;
- anxiety and other mental disorders;
- headaches and other manifestations of nervous system disorders;
- decreased visual acuity, conjunctivitis;
- angina pectoris, heart rhythm disturbances, heart attack, stroke and other disorders of the cardiovascular system;
- cough, runny nose;
- abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal reactions;
- myalgia;
- liver and/or kidney dysfunction;
- swelling;
- asthenia, chronic fatigue syndrome.
Characteristics of Lozap Plus
A combined drug produced in the form of elongated yellow film-coated tablets with a separation line on both sides. It contains 2 active ingredients:
- angiotensin II potassium receptor antagonist losartan – 50 mg;
- diuretic hydrochlorothiazide – 12.5 mg.
Lozap Plus is a combined drug produced in the form of elongated yellow film-coated tablets with a separation line on both sides.
Blisters containing 10 or 15 tablets are packaged in cardboard packs of 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 9 pieces.
The pharmacological action of hydrochlorothiazide is to increase:
- aldosterone production;
- plasma angiotensin II concentrations;
- renin activity.
In addition, its use reduces the volume of blood plasma and the amount of potassium in it.
Taking this substance together with losartan potassium provides:
- synergistic effect, due to which a more pronounced hypotensive effect is achieved;
- weakening of hyperuricemia initiated by a diuretic.
It is important that treatment with this medication does not cause changes in heart rate. The drug is indicated for use in arterial hypertension requiring combination therapy. In addition, its use can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases due to arterial hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy.
Lozap Plus is not prescribed for gout.
The initial dosage of the drug is 1 tablet per day. If necessary, it can be doubled, while the dose is still carried out once. The daily dose should be adjusted in the presence of the same number of indications as for the single drug Lozap.
The drug is not prescribed for:
- hyper- or hypokalemia, hyponatremia;
- severe diseases of the kidneys, liver or biliary tract;
- gout or hyperuricemia;
- anuria;
- pregnancy, lactation, and also during the period of planning conception;
- hypersensitivity to the components of the drug or sulfonamide derivatives.
It should be used with caution in the same conditions as the single drug Lozap, as well as in:
- hypomagnesemia;
- connective tissue diseases;
- diabetes mellitus;
- myopia;
- bronchial asthma;
No side effects of the drug associated with the combined use of losartan with hydrochlorothiazide were identified. All negative effects that occur during such therapy are due to the influence of each substance separately.
For bronchial asthma, the drug should be used with caution.
In addition to the side effects caused by losartan potassium and identical to the negative reactions that occur when taking Lozap, Lozap Plus can cause:
- vasculitis;
- respiratory distress syndrome;
- jaundice and cholecystitis;
- convulsions.
Similarities
The drugs under consideration share the following features:
- indications for use;
- tablet form of the drug;
- the presence of potassium losartan in the composition.
What is the difference?
A distinctive feature is the difference in composition. Lozap is a single drug, and Lozap Plus is a combined medicine containing 2 active components.
The second significant difference is that Lozap has different dosages, while the combination medicine is available in only 1 version.
Which is cheaper?
You can purchase a pack of 30 tablets of these medications at the following prices:
- 50 mg – 246 rub.;
- 50 mg + 12.5 mg – 306 rub.
At the same concentration of losartan potassium, a drug containing hydrochlorothiazide is 25% more expensive.
Lozap is considered a safe remedy for reducing blood pressure in diabetes mellitus.
What is better Lozap or Lozap Plus?
The decision about which medicine will be best for the patient can only be made by a doctor after collecting an anamnesis and conducting an examination. The advantage of Lozap Plus will be its more pronounced therapeutic effect. The advantage of Lozap is the ease of selecting the dosage. In addition, the single drug causes fewer negative reactions and has fewer contraindications.
For diabetes
The active component of Lozapa Losartan in a dose of up to 150 mg/day does not affect the concentration of sugar in the blood. The great advantage of this substance for those who suffer from type 2 diabetes is its ability to reduce insulin resistance. Therefore, Lozap is considered a safe remedy for reducing blood pressure in this disease.
Thiazide diuretics, which include hydrochlorothiazide, may increase glucose levels. For diabetic patients, such substances should be prescribed in minimal doses (no more than 25 mg/day). In addition, you need to know that if you have high blood sugar, the combination of Lozap Plus with aliskiren is unacceptable. Therefore, in case of such a disease, this drug should be taken with caution.
Reviews from doctors
Sorokin V.T., therapist, 32 years old: “I prescribe drugs of this group for hypertension in the initial stage. I consider these products to be quite safe for the body and effective in reducing blood pressure. “I would like to note that in severe stages of the disease, the effect of these medications will not be enough for a day and you should use another type of antihypertensive drugs, for example, beta blockers.”
Dorogina M.N., cardiologist, 43 years old: “During my practice, I came to the conclusion that the Slovak Lozap is better tolerated than its Russian counterparts. More than 90% of patients noted normalization of blood pressure and the absence of adverse reactions.
Patient reviews of Lozap and Lozap Plus
Egor, 53 years old, Yekaterinburg: “I took both drugs. They have the same effect on me, I didn’t notice any difference in the degree of pressure reduction. I give preference to Lozap due to its lower cost.”
Alevtina, 57 years old, Moscow: “I think this drug is too weak. When you take it in the morning, by the evening your blood pressure begins to rise again.”
Source: https://SayDiabetu.net/lechenie/tradicionnaya-medicina/drygie-lekarstva/lozap-i-lozap-plyus/
pharmachologic effect
Before talking about the side effects of long-term use of Lozap, it is necessary to understand how the drug works.
So, the tablets have a complex effect. If you take the medicine constantly, peripheral vascular resistance will decrease, and because of this, blood pressure will also decrease.
The medicine can reduce the load on blood vessels and the heart and reduce the amount of adrenaline in the blood. Doctors also warn about the diuretic effect of the drug. They note that this is rather good, because excess fluid is removed from the tissues.
Side effects with long-term use of Lozap certainly appear, but there are also positive aspects. For example, patients note the body’s resistance to physical stress. As a result, there is virtually no depletion of the heart muscle. It is worth noting that this effect is observed only in those people who suffer from heart failure.
The maximum effect of the drug is achieved six hours after administration. Over the next twenty-four hours, the drug gradually ceases its effect. With continuous use, the hypotensive effect will appear within 3-6 weeks.
The tablets are perfectly absorbed by the body. Substances are excreted through the kidneys and intestines.
Pharmacological properties of the drug Lozap
Losartan is a specific antagonist of the receptor (AT1 type) of angiotensin II. Angiotensin II binds to the AT1 receptor, which is found in many tissues (eg vascular smooth muscle, adrenal glands, kidneys and heart). Losartan and its pharmacologically active metabolite carboxylic acid (E-3174) block the effects of angiotensin II. Losartan does not bind or block other hormone receptors and ion channels important for cardiovascular regulation. Losartan does not inhibit ACE, but blocks the response to angiotensin I and II and has no effect on the kinin system or bradykinin levels. Losartan has no effect on autonomic reflexes and the level of norepinephrine in the blood plasma. The drug is equally effective in men, women under 65 years of age and in elderly and senile patients with hypertension (arterial hypertension). With simultaneous use of Lozap with thiazide-type diuretics, the degree of blood pressure reduction increases. After oral administration, losartan is well absorbed and, as a result of metabolism during the initial passage through the liver, an active metabolite of carboxylic acid and inactive metabolites are formed. Systemic bioavailability after oral administration of losartan is about 33%. The average maximum concentration of losartan is achieved within 1 hour, and its active metabolite - within 3-4 hours. When using the drug with a standardized diet, no clinically significant effect on the profile of the concentration of losartan in the blood plasma was noted. Plasma clearance for losartan and its active metabolite is approximately 600 and 50 ml/min, respectively. The renal clearance of losartan and its active metabolite is about 74 and 26 ml/min, respectively. After oral administration, almost 4% of the dose is excreted unchanged in the urine and about 6% of the dose as an active metabolite. With oral administration of losartan potassium in doses up to 200 mg, the pharmacokinetics of the drug and its active metabolite are linear. After oral administration, the concentration of the drug and its active metabolite in the blood plasma decreases polyexponentially with a final half-life of 2 hours for losartan and 6–9 hours for the active metabolite. At a single daily dose of 100 mg, neither losartan nor its active metabolite accumulates in the blood plasma in significant quantities.
Features of application
It is stupid to judge the effectiveness of Lozap by side effects and reviews, because you need to look first of all at how the drug copes with problems. And for the medicine to really help, you need to know certain features of its use. What are we talking about? For example, that only a doctor can determine the dosage and frequency of administration. However, there are general guidelines that you can keep in mind.
Patients suffering from hypertension are prescribed the drug to drink 50 milligrams once a day. If the dosage does not give the desired effect, it can be increased to 100 milligrams. Before studying reviews and side effects of Lozap, you should consult your doctor. He will explain that the effect occurs after constant use for 3-6 weeks.
There are several conditions:
- When taken simultaneously with diuretics, the amount of medication cannot exceed 25 milligrams per day.
- For patients with impaired liver function, the doctor selects the dosage separately.
- For chronic heart failure, you can consume a maximum of 12.5 milligrams per day.
- To achieve the effect, patients are prescribed 50 milligrams.
Reviews about the side effects of Lozap Plus can be seen quite often. For this reason, many patients refuse to use the drug, but this is stupid. If you read the same reviews thoughtfully and carefully, you will notice that many people did not follow the dosage or took the drug differently from what was written in the instructions.
To get the desired effect, you need to take the tablet without chewing it. You can take the drug at any convenient time, you don’t need to guess whether to do it after or before meals.
Treatment begins with a minimal amount of the drug, and over time it increases to the maximum. This process takes 2-3 weeks.
Price
Let's give an example of the cost of the drug in pharmacies across the country.
Amount of active substance in mg | Number of tablets per package | Cost of the drug in rubles |
12, 5 | 30 | from 180 to 240 |
50 | 30 | from 250 to 300 |
100 | 30 | from 300 to 370 |
Side effects
Now let's move on to the side effects of Lozap (we'll study doctors' reviews of this medicine later). In clinical studies with losartan and hydrochlorothiazide, no adverse reactions associated with the combination of these substances were observed. From this we can conclude that the side effects of Lozap Plus are limited to those previously observed when using losartan and hydrochlorothiazide separately. Typically, adverse reactions from the drug are kept to a minimum. But sometimes the patient can feel their entire spectrum.
What are the side effects of Lozap in honey? sources? The list is quite extensive:
- Dizziness, headache, asthenia, fatigue, insomnia. All these symptoms occur in one percent of patients or more.
- Abdominal pain and nausea are also experienced by 1% of those using the medicine.
- Upper respiratory tract infections and nasal congestion already occur in 1% of people who take the drug.
- Pain in the chest, legs, cramps, and back pain also plague 1% of patients.
- Orthostatic dose-dependent hypotension, tachy- and brachycardia, palpitations, angina pectoris, arrhythmia. If you believe the instructions and reviews from doctors about the side effects of Lozap Plus and Lozap, no more than 1% of people taking the medicine are affected by this.
Other side effects include anemia. The same doctors say that, as a rule, the medicine does not have such pronounced side effects, but its effectiveness has been proven.
In some people, long-term use may even contribute to the development of hepatitis, but this is not a reason to refuse effective treatment.
Unfortunately, this is not the entire list of side effects. Recent research has revealed a whole list of “gifts”:
- A decrease in the level of platelets in the blood below normal.
- Increased eosinophil levels above normal.
- Purpura Schonlein - Henoch.
- Quincke's edema.
- Skin rash.
- Vasculitis.
- Itching on the skin.
- Photosensitivity.
- Depression.
- Anxiety.
- Sleep disturbance or drowsiness.
- Numbness of the limbs or a feeling of pins and needles.
- Tremor.
- Memory impairment.
- Movement coordination disorder.
- Increased sensitivity to certain irritants.
- Panic attacks.
- Strange dreams.
- Confusion.
- Pain along the sciatic nerve.
- Taste disturbance.
- Noise in ears.
- Decreased visual acuity or double vision.
- Vertigo.
- Conjunctivitis.
- Burning sensation in the eyes.
- Blurred vision.
- Fainting.
- Cough.
- Acute cerebrovascular accident.
- Nosebleeds.
- Myocardial infarction.
- Dyspnea.
- Sinusitis.
- Rhinitis.
- Bronchitis.
- Dyspnea.
- Intestinal obstruction.
- Constipation or diarrhea.
- Vomiting or nausea.
- Gastritis.
- Pancreatitis.
- Anorexia.
- Toothache.
- Dry mouth.
- Joint pain.
- Muscle pain.
- Muscle breakdown.
- Muscle spasms.
- Impotence. Perhaps this is the only side effect in men from Lozap. All other effects are not divided into female and male.
- Decreased libido.
- Urinary tract infections.
- Frequent urination at night.
- Increased potassium levels in the blood.
- Increased levels of urea, bilirubin, creatinine.
- Decreased blood glucose levels.
- Dry skin.
- Edema.
- Increased sweating.
- Baldness.
- General malaise.
Only the drug "Lozap Plus" is characterized by the following adverse reactions: agranulocytosis, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, hyperglycemia, hypokalemia, hyponatremia, secondary acute angle-closure glaucoma and/or acute myopia, pneumonitis and non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema, jaundice, toxic epidermal necrolysis, glycosuria.
What do doctors think about this? They advise not to use the drug uncontrollably and not to self-medicate. If you notice any side effects, you should immediately visit your doctor and consult. In this case, the doctor will either reduce the dose or select an analogue that will not have a similar effect on the body.
Why can't it be used during breastfeeding or pregnancy?
Above we described the side effects of Lozap with long-term use. But judging by the reviews, many people believe that the drug, which should not be taken by pregnant women, is harmful to everyone. Is it so? Let's figure it out now.
Why does the instruction not allow the use of the drug in pregnant women? This happens because there is no data on the use of the drug. However, it is known that a medication that affects the renin-angiotensin system when used in the second and third trimester can cause fetal death or developmental defects. This is the reason for the use of the drug during pregnancy.
If there is a need to use the drug while a woman is breastfeeding, then the question of what is more important is to decide - stopping treatment or stopping feeding.
Special instructions for the use of the drug Lozap
Therapy with Lozap is not prescribed to patients with a deficiency of intravascular fluid volume (for example, patients receiving diuretics in high doses). If you have a history of liver disease, you should consider using the drug at a lower dose. In the presence of acute or chronic renal failure, the drug may lead to deterioration of renal function with or without hyperkalemia. Lozap should be used with caution in patients with bilateral renal artery stenosis or renal artery stenosis of a solitary kidney. Clinical studies have not revealed age-related differences regarding the effectiveness or safety of the drug. The use of the drug may negatively affect activities that require a high speed of mental and physical reactions (for example, when driving vehicles, servicing machines and mechanisms, working at heights, etc.).
Overdose
We have figured out the side effects of Lozap with long-term use (reviews will be given at the end of the article), but there has been no talk of overdose yet. Let's fix this.
What happens if you overdo the dosage? According to studies, patients experience a strong decrease in blood pressure, bradycardia or tachycardia.
Forced diuresis and symptomatic therapy are used as treatment. In case of overdose, hemodialysis does not give the desired effect.
Lozap overdose, symptoms and treatment
In case of overdose (intoxication) of the drug, symptoms such as hypotension, tachycardia may appear, and sometimes bradycardia may occur due to parasympathetic (vagal) stimulation. If symptomatic hypotension occurs, maintenance therapy is provided. In case of accidental overdose (taking the drug in a high dose), it is necessary to carry out symptomatic and supportive therapy, induce vomiting and gastric lavage. Neither losartan nor its active metabolite can be removed by hemodialysis.
Interaction with other drugs
We figured out the side effects of Lozap for joints and more, as a result of which you realized that everything is not so scary. Let’s now talk about how “Lozap” “behaves” in combination with other medications.
According to studies, no clinically important interaction of the drug with digoxin, hydrochlorothiazide, cimetidine, indirect anticoagulants, or phenobarbital was found.
In patients suffering from dehydration due to taking high doses of diuretics, blood pressure may significantly decrease with the use of the drug.
If the medication is used together with other drugs of the same properties, the antihypertensive properties are enhanced.
When a patient takes Lozap and potassium-sparing diuretics, he should be prepared for the fact that the risk of developing hypoglycemia becomes higher. By the way, this also includes other drugs containing potassium.
Generics
The indications and contraindications for Lozap are now clear, but what to do if for some reason you cannot use this medicine? Look for analogues. On the modern pharmacological market there are quite a lot of drugs that are similar in their actions, so there will be no problems with the choice.
So, what medications can be called analogues?
- "Blocktran."
- "Vasotens".
- "Brozaar."
- "Vero-Losartan".
- "Cardomin-Sanovel".
- "Zisakar".
- "Kozaar."
- "Carzartan".
- "Lozarel."
- "Lakea."
- "Losartan."
- "Losartan McLeods."
- "Losartan potassium."
- "Losartan-Richter".
- "Lorista".
- "Losartan-Teva".
- "Losakon."
- "Renicard."
- "Presartan."
As you can see, if you wish, you can find a drug that has the same properties, but is free of side effects or contraindications.
What can be replaced
The following analogues of Lozap can be purchased on the pharmaceutical market:
- Losartan;
- Vasotens;
- Losarel;
- Blocktran;
- Kozaar.
Lozap reduces blood pressure and promotes the effective treatment of arterial hypertension. Due to a fairly large number of possible side effects and restrictions on use, before starting the course, you should consult with a specialist who will help you determine the optimal dosage and duration of the therapeutic course!
Reviews
Today we have discussed the instructions for using Lozap and what it is needed for. It's time to move on to reviews.
Up to 90% of reviews on the drug are positive, since the medicine has proven itself to be effective. Patients note a significant decrease in blood pressure. Judging by the reviews, the medication helped even in cases where other drugs did not help the person.
As for negative reviews, there are extremely few of them. Usually in such cases, intolerance to the drug by a specific person is described. The only thing the reviews complain about are the side effects of “Lozap Plus” and “Lozap”, because of which the drug was replaced with another, despite all its effectiveness.
What do doctors think?
Reviews from doctors also differ. Some consider the drug to be effective in cases where hypertension is present in a mild form. Other doctors believe that using the drug for severe hypertension in combination with other heart diseases is pointless. In this case, the effectiveness of the drug is quite low. For this reason, patients are forced to additionally use stronger medications.
To summarize, in general, doctors believe that the drug is good, but it should be used only at certain stages of the disease, otherwise it is pointless.
Doctors also remind that unauthorized use of medication can only worsen the course of the disease. For this reason, you should always consult your doctor.
Use during pregnancy and lactation
Despite the fact that Lozap helps with blood pressure, using the drug to treat women expecting the birth of a baby is strictly not recommended. This is explained by the fact that medications of the angiotensin receptor antagonist group negatively affect the health of the unborn baby and can even cause intrauterine fetal death. Therefore, a pregnant patient suffering from hypertension is transferred to safer and milder drugs.
It is also recommended for women planning to conceive to refrain from using the medicine.
Since the substances in the tablets have the ability to pass into breast milk, it is recommended that the baby be switched to artificial formula during lactation.