Impact of blood pressure medication

[CorruptAlligator]

@multicast, you are in Germany, so that statement makes sense. Reducing cost of universal healthcare. I'm in USA, so more expensive the better! lol

@Expat31 - Grape fruit reduces the efficacy of Losartan

LOSARTAN POTASSIUM (Generic for COZAAR) Lifestyle Interactions
Losartan Potassium 50mg, Oral tablet

Grapefruit juice

· Severity: Major

· Notes for Consumers: Do not drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit while taking this medication. Grapefruit may alter the effects of your medication.

· Notes for Professionals: Advise patients to avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice during losartan treatment due to the risk for decreased exposure to the active metabolite of losartan and decreased losartan efficacy. Losartan is converted to a more active metabolite via CYP2C9 and grapefruit juice is a CYP2C9 inhibitor. Coadministration with a moderate CYP2C9 inhibitor in two pharmacokinetic studies with healthy volunteers decreased concentrations of the active metabolite of losartan by 30% to 56%.

With this said, my best meds for high bp is CPAP therapy. It reduces my bp by a significant margin since breathing isn't obstructed during my sleep anymore. Thus I take only 25mg of Losartan.

[PaulaO2]

I had taken beta blockers for years until asthma started. It was/is a side effect for those who are at risk of getting it. Years later, after a lot of different meds that just were not controlling my hypertension very well, my new doc suggested a beta blocker. I told her why and she was "Oh, they've fixed that in some of them" So now I take Toporol XL.

Starting CPAP also helped with my hypertension and between that and the med, it is deliciously under control.

Every medication we take, we need to keep our sleep and airway in mind.

- ask pharmacy for the information sheet when getting new medication (most give it anyway)
- ask doc and pharmacy both if the medication effects sleep or airway
- ask what time of day is best to take the medication

[Homerec130]

As several of my doctors have told me (as well as my pharmacist) that you do not want to eat grapefruit or have grapefruit juice if you are taking statins either. Other citrus juices are fine. Have to ask one of my plant biologist/botanist friends at the U why.

[DaveL]

Thanks Homer! Much appreciated.

[btbderek]

Just curious if you can chime in, how much “throat tickling” did you experience when on Linsopril?

I’ve been on a small dose for about 3 weeks now. During the day it doesn’t seem to affect me except triggering a random cough on a rare occasion. At night when I start using my CPAP is when I start feeling the sensation. With the aid of a cough drop before bed, I have been able to power through it and fall asleep the past few nights, but last night it made me cough alot and had to take the mask off twice and try again, but I couldn’t power through it. I really don’t want to have to change medications as it has already dropped my high blood pressure quite a bit, but I don’t really want this to become a re-occurring issue.

[kemeky]

Just curious if you can chime in, how much “throat tickling” did you experience when on Linsopril?

In the 5 or so weeks on the medication, I think I have had about 4 nights where I experienced the throat tickling.  Even on those nights, it was only a few coughs.

[Lucid]

@CorrruptAlligator -- thanks for this information about grapefruit and Losartan.  I usually read inserts carefully but had somehow overlooked or forgotten this re Losartan.  I tend to avoid grapefruit just in case, because it interacts with many medications, so I hadn't tripped up yet, but it's a timely reminder.