ARBs
LosartanLosartan Potassium
Losartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) taken once a day for high blood pressure and to protect the kidneys in people with type 2 diabetes. It is a generic that is often chosen when an ACE inhibitor causes a cough.
This page is general information about a medication and how cash prices for it are set. It is not medical advice and does not replace the label, your prescriber or your pharmacist. How we handle medical information
All strengths and the hydrochlorothiazide combination are generic from many manufacturers.
About Losartan
Losartan blocks the receptor that angiotensin II uses to constrict blood vessels and stimulate salt retention. The result is similar to an ACE inhibitor such as lisinopril, lower blood pressure and less strain on the heart and kidneys, but because it acts one step further down the pathway it does not cause the dry cough that makes some people stop ACE inhibitors.
It is taken once daily, alone or with hydrochlorothiazide in a combination tablet. It is approved for high blood pressure, for reducing stroke risk in people with high blood pressure and an enlarged heart, and for slowing kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes. Like ACE inhibitors it is avoided in pregnancy, and potassium and kidney function are checked after starting.
Losartan was the first ARB and has the longest track record. Newer ARBs such as valsartan, olmesartan and telmisartan work similarly; prescribers choose among them on dose convenience, combination products and, increasingly, on cost since all are now generic.
Why the cash price for Losartan differs from pharmacy to pharmacy
Losartan is a low-cost generic, and its cash price at a given pharmacy is mostly the pharmacy’s dispensing fee and mark-up rather than the drug. Recalls of some manufacturers’ losartan lots in past years caused temporary supply tightness and price spikes at pharmacies that could not source an alternative maker; that has largely settled, but pharmacies with a single supplier still see more volatility.
The combination tablet with hydrochlorothiazide is usually inexpensive, but whether it is cheaper than the two components separately varies pharmacy to pharmacy.
Ways to pay less for Losartan without insurance
- Ask for a ninety-day prescription once your dose is stable.
- If you also take hydrochlorothiazide, ask the pharmacy to quote both the combination tablet and separate tablets.
- Ask which manufacturer the pharmacy stocks if you have concerns about a particular maker; most pharmacies can order an alternative.
- Compare independents and mail-order pharmacies, where dispensing fees are often lower.
- Upload your prescription to Script Unlock so licensed pharmacies can quote their cash price. You pay the pharmacy directly.
How Script Unlock gets you a cash price for Losartan
Prices on this site come from pharmacies responding to a real prescription. We do not publish estimated, average or "typical" prices, because none of those would be your price.
- 1You upload your prescription
A photo of your Losartan prescription is enough. Nothing is sold on the site; you are asking pharmacies to quote.
- 2Licensed pharmacies respond
Pharmacies that Script Unlock has verified see the request and each can reply with its own cash price for your exact drug, strength and quantity.
- 3You choose and pay the pharmacy
You compare the responses, pick a pharmacy, and pay that pharmacy directly when you collect. Script Unlock never takes a patient payment and never sets the price.
Questions to ask your pharmacist about Losartan
- 1.Should I avoid potassium supplements or salt substitutes?
- 2.What should I do if I feel light-headed when standing?
- 3.Which over-the-counter anti-inflammatory painkillers should I avoid?
- 4.Is it a problem to take this at a different time of day?
- 5.When will my potassium and kidney function be re-checked?
Related medications
Sources
Script Unlock is a marketplace that lets licensed pharmacies quote a cash price on your prescription. It does not prescribe, dispense or sell medication, does not process patient payments, and does not give medical advice. Always follow the instructions of your prescriber and pharmacist and read the medication guide supplied with your medicine.