Losartan, marketed under the trade names Cozaar and others, is a common blood pressure medication (hypertension). It’s also used to treat diabetic renal disease, heart failure, and enlargement of the left ventricle. It can be used on its own or in combination with other blood pressure medications. It might take up to six weeks for the full benefits to appear.
What not to eat or drink with losartan? As you are likely suffering from a blood pressure related ailment while taking this drug, avoid food and drink that raise blood pressure and blood sugar levels. high potassium foods are common foods to avoid, and alcohol should not be taken with prescription drugs.
The type of drug called losartan is known to have interaction with food. Some of your favorite foods may need to be cut out as a result of poor blood circulation, progression of kidney disease, and varying levels of blood sugar. All of which can be unhealthy.
What Does Losartan Treat?
Chronic kidney disease is perhaps the most common ailment that losartan is deisgned to treat. Those without normal kidney function and patients with kidney problems are commonly prescribed losartan to help reduce the chance of kidney problems in the future. Or worse, total kidney failure.
Impaired kidney function is a common symptom of any kidney condition. Ectopic kidney, diabetic kidney disease, and chronic kidney disease just to name a few. However if you have normal kidney function, you may still take losartan to treat blood pressure problems.
Adverse effects from losartan include elevated blood potassium levels. This is one of many potential side effects, but it very rarely causes too many issues. Instead, your doctor will be aware of unwanted side effects and may monitor your blood potassium levels throughout your drug treatment.
Other common side effects include blocked noses, joint pain, and light headedness. These common side effects are rarer than the issues with blood potassium levels, but if you begin to experience any issue with your prescription drugs you should raise them to your healthcare provider.
Foods to Avoid
Patients with kidney problems should avoid high cholesterol and fatty foods. These foods, and the saturated fats they include, increase the risk of devloping a heart condition and therefore raising blood pressure levels. Saturated fats are artery clogging, and restrict the flow of blood.
Similarly, oily foods can inhibit blood levels by filling your arteries with excess cholesterol. Losartan will however raise your white blood cell count, helping your immune system fight off any deficiencies it might otherwise have resulting from cholesterol intake.
Potassium rich foods and high potassium foods should also be avoided where possible. Ask your pharmacist about drug information relating to potassium and losartan, as extra potassium containing foods can lead to increases in blood potassium.
Increases in blood potassium are very dangerous, as it can alter the way in which your heart muscles contract. No level of white blood cell count will help if your heart begins to beat irregularly, and results in a heart attack or cardiac arrest.
Foods to Try
The best foods to take with losartan are foods that reduce blood pressure, blood potassium, and generally promote a healthy lifestyle. Since exercising may be difficult with losartan treated conditions, namely heart and kidney conditions, a well balanced diet is essential.
High blood pressure can be caused by a variety of factors, including a lack of activity and bad dietary habits. Many foods, according to a recent research by the National Institutes of Health and the National Kidney Foundation, can help decrease blood pressure, making for a healthier diet.
Berries, bananas, and other fruit such as kiwis are delicious and healthy ways to get your diet in order. Replacing high sugar and salt contents in your food with fruit is also easy, as the fructose in fruit is filled with healthy sugars instead of glucose which can be unhealthy in excess amounts.
White fish such as tuna and halibut are also good sources of omega 3 and healthy fat oils. Fish oil is an unsaturated fat, meaning it won’t be getting into your arteries to clog them and put strain on your heart, blood pressure, or losartan treatments.
Drinking and Losartan
While alcohol should always be avoided with prescription medications and chronic kidney disease, it is reccomended you ingest losartan with water. A well hydrated body promotes normal kidney function, and reduces the risk of a further decrease in kidney function. Liver and kidney damage can be aggravated by alcohol.
If you’re taking losartan to treat chronic kidney disease, try grapefruit juice. Grapefruit juices actually help losartan be properly absorbed into the body as it inhibits an enzyme in the lower intestine that would otherwise interfere and breakdown the drug in your intestine.
