Authors: Moen, Marit D.; Wagstaff, Antona J.

Source: Drugs, Volume 65, Number 18, 2005 , pp. 2657-2674(18)

Publisher: Adis International

Abstract:

Losartan (Cozaar^®) is an angiotensin AT₁ receptor antagonist. It is approved in numerous countries for the treatment of hypertension and has been approved in the UK, the US and several European countries for stroke risk reduction in patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Losartan is recommended for use alone or with hydrochlorothiazide, but it can also be administered with other antihypertensive medications.

In patients with hypertension, losartan effectively lowers blood pressure and also leads to regression of LVH. In the large, well designed LIFE (Losartan Intervention For Endpoint reduction in hypertension) study in patients with hypertension and LVH, losartan was more effective than atenolol in reducing the composite primary endpoint of cardiovascular (CV) mortality, stroke or myocardial infarction (MI). This was mainly due to a significant 25% reduction in the risk of stroke in the losartan group. Losartan recipients also had a significantly lower incidence of new-onset diabetes mellitus compared with atenolol recipients. Similar benefits were observed in several patient subgroups from the LIFE study, but not in the subgroup of Black patients.

Losartan is well tolerated and is a cost effective alternative to atenolol in the setting of stroke reduction. Comparative data on clinical outcomes in hypertensive patients for losartan versus other antihypertensive agents would be of interest. Nonetheless, in addition to its established antihypertensive and end organ effects, the LIFE study indicates that, with the possible exception of Black patients, losartan can reduce the risk of stroke in patients with hypertension and LVH.

Keywords: Adis Drug Evaluations; Losartan; Stroke

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Adis International Limited, Auckland, New Zealand

Publication date: 2005-01-01

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Pharmacology ,  Therapeutics & Alternative Medicine
• By this author: Moen, Marit D. ;  Wagstaff, Antona J.

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers