Print this page
Email a friend
Was this information helpful?
50% said yes!
(2 votes)What do you think? Click "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" to vote!
If you have more to say, post a comment below!
Q. My blood pressure medicine was recently switched to Cozaar. After taking my pills this morning my mouth and tongue swelled up so I could barely talk. Could my medicine have done this?
A. Cozaar (losartan) is a very effective blood pressure medicine with relatively few side effects. Some people, however, are susceptible to a reaction called angioedema. Typically, this is characterized by swelling of the mouth, tongue and throat. It can rapidly turn into a life-threatening emergency if the airway becomes blocked.
Certain other blood pressure drugs such as Accupril (quinapril), Altace (ramipril), Benicar (olmesartan), Diovan (valsartan), enalapril and lisinopril can also trigger angioedema. Please let your doctor know about this serious reaction immediately.
I seem to be very sensitive to blood pressure medications, which either give me headaches, or slow me down to a slug, or make me cough, or just make me feel ill. My patient internist finally prescribed Cozaar, that did the job for me and was easily tolerated. list cost is high, however.
I had been taking lisinopril for more than 15 years with no ill effects. Then one day I woke up looking like Homer Simpson. My lips were enormous. When my wife got home she freaked out. The emergency room doctor said he saw several cases like mine caused by lisinopril every month. If it would have affected my tongue instead of my lips I might have had some serious problems. I stopped taking the drug.
I have a swollen tongue on and off. Finally my doctor put me on claritin and it worked immediately for awhile. It is now back to swelling again with Claritin. Does anyone know about a problem like this? I've had this on and off more on for well over a year.
Thank you.