Cozaar vs. Atenolol

• Are Atenolol and Cozaar the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Cozaar?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Atenolol?
• What Is Cozaar?
• What Is Atenolol?
• What Drugs Interact with Cozaar?
• What Drugs Interact with Atenolol?
• How Should Cozaar Be Taken?
• How Should Atenolol Be Taken?

Cozaar (losartan) and atenolol are used to treat hypertension.

Atenolol is also used to treat chest pain (angina), for management of acute heart attack (myocardial infarction), and occasionally for thyroid storm management.

Cozaar and atenolol belong to different drug classes. Cozaar is an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) and atenolol is a beta-blocker.

The brand name for atenolol is Tenormin.

Common side effects of Cozaar include:

• diarrhea
• stomach pain
• muscle cramps
• leg or back pain
• dizziness
• headache
• sleep problems (insomnia)
• tiredness, and
• cold or flu symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, fever, and cough

Tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Cozaar including pain or burning when you urinate; pale skin, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, trouble concentrating; wheezing, chest pain; drowsiness, confusion, mood changes, increased thirst, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting; swelling, weight gain, urinating less than usual or not at all; or high potassium (slow heart rate, weak pulse, muscle weakness, tingly feeling).

Common side effects of Atenolol include:

• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Tired feeling
• Nausea
• Slow heart rate
• Depression
• Decreased sex drive
• Impotence
• Difficulty having an orgasm
• Sleep problems (insomnia)
• Anxiety
• Nervousness
• Mild shortness of breath

Serious side effects of Tenormin may include:

• heart arrhythmias,
• low blood pressure (hypotension),
• pulmonary emboli,
• chest pain, and
• bronchospasm.

Cozaar (losartan) is an oral angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) prescribed for the treatment of hypertension.

Atenolol is a beta-blocker used mainly for control of hypertension, angina, for management of acute myocardial infarction and occasionally for thyroid storm management.

Cozaar may interact with diuretics (water pills), other blood pressure medications, lithium, celecoxib, or aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Atenolol may also interact with allergy treatments (or if you are undergoing allergy skin-testing), amiodarone, clonidine, digoxin, disopyramide, guanabenz, MAO inhibitors, diabetes medications, heart medications, medicine for asthma or other breathing disorders, cold medicines, stimulant medicines, or diet pills.

Dosing preparations of Cozaar are 25, 50, and 100 mg tablets. Drug interactions with Cozaar may occur with inhibitors of cytochrome P450, potassium- sparing diuretics, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Cozaar should not be used during pregnancy, and it is not known whether it is excreted in breast milk.

Tenormin is available in 25, 50 and 100 mg strength tablets; it is also available vials of 5 mg atenolol in ten ml of citrate-buffered solution for intravenous injection. The IV preparation should only be administered by trained personnel. The usual dose for tablets begins at 25 mg once or twice per day and is modified by patient response to the medication. The following information applies to both the tablet and IV forms of atenolol. Use with calcium channel blockers (CCBs) may precipitate bradycardia. Tenormin may interact with allergy treatments (or if you are undergoing allergy skin-testing), amiodarone, clonidine, digoxin, disopyramide, guanabenz, MAO inhibitors, diabetes medications, heart medications, medicine for asthma or other breathing disorders, cold medicines, stimulant medicines, or diet pills. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. This medication should be used during pregnancy only when clearly needed. It may harm an unborn baby. This medication passes into breast milk and may have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Consult the doctor before breastfeeding. Women taking Tenormin should discuss the risks and benefits with their doctor.