Lisinopril vs Losartan

In every house, we come across individuals suffering from one or the other health issue especially blood pressure. It is observed that high blood pressure is a very common ailment.

As per the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association nearly half of adults in the US (47%, or 116 million) have hypertension.

Only about 1 in 4 adults (24%) with hypertension have their condition under control. As we compare between men and women, a percentage of men (50%) have a higher blood pressure than women (44%).

So what exactly is blood pressure? Blood pressure is the pressure used by the blood against the walls of your arteries to help circulate blood across various body parts.

The normal blood pressure range is less than 120 on top and less than 80 on the bottom. High blood pressure occurs when your blood applies pressure that is higher than this range. It is also known as hypertension.

Oftentimes, high blood pressure is also termed a “silent killer” because you may not experience any symptoms indicating a problem with blood pressure. A few people may experience headaches, nosebleeds, or shortness of breath.

Food, medicine, lifestyle, health conditions, age, and genetics cause high blood pressure. High blood pressure can damage blood vessels of the brain, heart, and kidneys resulting in a stroke, heart failure, or kidney disease.

High blood pressure should not be taken lightly. It should be treated as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary complications. Lisinopril and Losartan are medicines that are mainly used to treat high blood pressure.

Do You Know About Lisinopril And Losartan?

Lisinopril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme(ACE) inhibitor. It treats high blood pressure, and heart failure improves survival in people who had a heart attack, and also prevents future heart attacks.

It is not available over the counter as it is a prescription-based drug though you can purchase Lisinopril over the counter from a certified online pharmacy it is recommended to get a doctor's prescription first.

Lisinopril, which is an ACE inhibitor, means it blocks the action of ACE enzymes in the renin-angiotensin system(RAS). Lisinopril prevents angiotensin-I from being converted to angiotensin-II.

By blocking the production of angiotensin-II, Lisinopril keeps blood vessels open and relaxed which lowers Blood pressure (Lancaster, S.G. and Todd, P.A., 1988).

Losartan is known as an Angiotensin-II receptor blocker. Losartan is used to treat high blood pressure, stroke risk, and kidney problems associated with diabetes.

with a proper doctor's prescription, you can also purchase Losartan over the counter from a certified online pharmacy. Losartan blocks the action of Angiotensin-II.

Angiotensin-II is a substance that narrows blood vessels and causes high blood pressure and it becomes hard to pump the blood.

Thus Losartan helps to relax your veins and arteries to lower the blood pressure and make it easier for your heart to pump blood (Simpson, K.L. and McClellan, K.J., 2000).

Other Uses Of Lisinopril And Losartan?

 The other uses of Lisinopril and Losartan are as follows-

• Heart Failure
• Heart Attack
• Stroke prevention
• High blood pressure with diabetes
• Lower heart attack and stroke risk
• Kidney damage due to diabetes

How Can Lisinopril And Losartan Be Taken?

Lisinopril and Losartan are prescribed medications and are available in tablet form.

The tablet is taken orally once a day.

You can consume these tablets with or without food.

Consult your doctor, if Lisinopril tablets are hard to swallow as he can switch you to oral solution.

As there is no specific time to take Lisinopril and you can consume it anytime in the day. But it is helpful if you take Lisinopril on a daily routine or at the same time every day.

Try to take Losartan at the same time every day, for most people it would be morning and you can also consume it during the night.

Does Their Dosage Differ From Each Other?

Yes, their dosages differ from each other. Dosages are especially recommended by our health care providers which depend on several factors like age, weight, medical condition, the effect of medication, etc.

Lisinopril dosage strength usually ranges from 2.5mg to 40mg.

Dosage of Lisinopril can vary depending on whether it is being used for hypertension, heart disorders, etc

The initial dosage starts at 2.5mg to 5mg a day, which can be increased up to 40mg a day.The recommended dose of Lisinopril for high blood pressure is 10mg once a day.

Losartan is also used to treat multiple conditions. So dosing will vary and also depends on each individual.

The initial dose of Losartan for high blood pressure is 50mg taken once a day, the dose can also increase up to 100mg per day or it can be taken all at once or split into two doses like 50mg twice a day.

How Long Do Lisinopril And Losartan Stay In Your System?

It is hard to define each medication and for how long it stays in your system. But if we know the half-life of a drug we can easily identify how long medication stays in our system.

After consuming Lisinopril, the half-life is about 12-hours and Lisinopril stays in your system for about 48 to 60 hours.

After consuming Losartan, the half-life is about 2 hours and Losartan takes around 6 to 9 hours to stay in your system. 

How Fast Do Lisinopril And Losartan Work?

Lisinopril starts working as soon as you take your first dose. In clinical studies, many people have observed that their blood pressure is lowered within one hour of taking their first dose. Thus it shows maximum effectiveness within 6 hours (Lancaster, S.G. and Todd, P.A., 1988).

Losartan is found to be the safest option for long-term treatment. Losartan starts to reduce the blood pressure within one hour but it may take 3 to 6 weeks to fully treat your condition (Simpson, K.L. and McClellan, K.J., 2000).

Side Effects Of Both The Medication

Both medications show similar side effects which may be noticed during the start of your treatment and your symptoms may go away within a week.

The common side effects are-

• You may feel dizzy or unsteady. The chances of fainting increase due to weakness.
• Headache is the most common symptom. Sometimes it may also lead to lightheadedness and it becomes hard to concentrate.
• Both medications cause a respiratory tract infection which leads to Cough.
• During coughing something irritates your throat or airways.
• You may also feel fatigued. It is a daily lack of energy and unusual or excessive whole-body tiredness not relieved by sleep.
• By taking this medication you may notice an upset stomach and loose, watery stools that are difficult or painful to pass which is also called Diarrhoea.
• You may also notice normal chest pain which may lead to trouble in breathing and also lowers blood pressure.

If we compare both the medications, Losartan causes fewer side effects than Lisinopril. Lisinopril shows severe side effects like-

• Lisinopril can cause you persistent cough. From the start of your dose or if the doctor increases the amount of dose you may notice continuous cough which may be harmful further. It has been observed the coughing continues until you stop the treatment. Losartan does not cause cough and is a good alternative option.
• If you consume Lisinopril there are utmost chances of Angioedema.

Angioedema is swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue, and throat. The swelling can be serious so you immediately need medical help.

Who Can't Take Losartan And Lisinopril?

• It is not safe for children who are below six years old.
• The usage of Lisinopril and Losartan should be avoided in pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers as they are very dangerous for developing fetus and could cause serious birth defects or even death.
• Elderly people can take both the medication but the work will be slow due to smaller amounts dosage.
• Both the medication changes the level of potassium in the blood so avoid the use of potassium-related foodstuffs and medication.
• If you ever had any type of allergic reaction by using any medication, supplements, vitamins, etc.
• If you are taking other treatments besides lisinopril and losartan. Don't combine and take this medication at the same time.
• Losartan and Lisinopril may be not effective in people of the African desert because they show tendency towards a low renin state and lower cardiac output with increased peripheral resistance.

Is Losartan And Lisinopril The Same?

No, Losartan and Lisinopril are different medications that work on various conditions. Since they belong to different drug classes. But both the medications work on the renin-angiotensin system and also they work on different parts of the system. But both medications lower blood pressure and are used for heart and kidney problems. They also differ in dosing, warning, price, etc.

Also, Read

• Valsartan Vs Losartan

Conclusion

Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor that treats various heart disorders. Losartan is an ARB which treats heart disorders and kidney problems. They both treat the same conditions but work differently.

Lisinopril works faster than Losartan. However, the side effects of Lisinopril are more. It also stays longer in your body. We conclude that Losartan is a better medicine to treat high blood pressure in the long term.

Consult your health care provider before taking both medications as they know which suits best for your condition.