Procardia vs. Cozaar

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

Procardia (nifedipine) and Cozaar (losartan) are used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure).

Procardia is also used to treat angina (chest pain).

Procardia and Cozaar belong to different drug classes. Procardia is a calcium channel blocker and Cozaar (losartan) is an oral angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB).

Side effects of Procardia and Cozaar that are similar include dizziness, leg pain or cramps, headache, tired feeling, diarrhea, stomach pain, or sleep problems (insomnia).

Side effects of Procardia that are different from Cozaar include weakness, swelling ankles/feet, joint pain, drowsiness, nausea, constipation, rash or itching, urinating more than usual, or flushing (warmth/redness/tingly feeling under your skin).

Side effects of Cozaar that are different from Procardia include muscle cramps, back pain, and cold or flu symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, fever, and cough.

Procardia may interact with other heart medications to treat the same or another condition, grapefruit and grapefruit juice, cimetidine, erythromycin, itraconazole or ketoconazole, carbamazepine, phenytoin, rifampin, or rifabutin.

Cozaar may interact with alcohol, potassium supplements or salt substitutes, diuretics (water pills), other blood pressure medications, lithium, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Common side effects of Procardia include:

• dizziness,
• weakness,
• swelling ankles/feet,
• joint pain,
• leg cramps,
• headache,
• drowsiness,
• tired feeling,
• nausea,
• diarrhea,
• constipation,
• stomach pain,
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• rash or itching,
• urinating more than usual, or
• flushing (warmth/redness/tingly feeling under your skin).

Tell your doctor if you experience unlikely but serious side effects of Procardia including:

• fast/irregular/pounding heartbeat, or
• fainting.

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).

Procardia (nifedipine) is a calcium channel blocker used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and to treat angina (chest pain).

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

Procardia may interact with other heart medications to treat the same or another condition, cimetidine, erythromycin, itraconazole or ketoconazole, carbamazepine, phenytoin, rifampin, or rifabutin. Tell your doctor all medications you use. During pregnancy, Procardia should be used only when prescribed. This medication passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

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

The usual starting dose of Procardia is one 10 mg capsule, 3 times/day. The usual effective dose range is 10–20 mg three times daily.

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.