Losartan: a new antihypertensive drug

Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It affects approximately one in five, or 20 per cent of Canadians. The consequences of untreated hypertension include myocardial infarction, stroke, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease and renal disease. By lowering a person's diastolic blood pressure 5 to 6 mmHg, their chances of having a stroke are reduced by 35 to 40 per cent and 20 to 25 per cent for coronary heart disease. While the treatment for hypertension includes both nonpharmacological and pharmacological therapy, this article will explore losartan or Cozaar, which falls under the newest class of antihypertensive drugs, angiotensin II antagonists.