Where does kidney disease fit in?
High blood pressure (BP) is a risk factor for kidney disease. Also, people who have type 2 are at risk for a serious kidney condition called diabetic nephropathy, which may become worse if you also have high BP.
What’s the connection between type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure (BP), and kidney disease?
The basic job of your kidneys is to filter waste products and excess fluid from your blood. High BP can hurt kidneys by damaging the small blood vessels that help filter your blood. People who have diabetes also have a high risk of developing kidney disease. This is because high levels of blood sugar make the kidneys work extra hard to filter blood. This extra work can damage the filters. Over time, the kidneys may start to leak useful protein into the urine and waste products may build up in the blood. The combination of high BP AND diabetes also increases the chance of kidney failure due to the added stress on the kidneys.
COZAAR is proven to:
- Lower high blood pressure (BP)
- If you have high BP, COZAAR can help relax your blood vessels and lower your BP
- Lower the chance of stroke
- If you have high BP and a heart problem called left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), COZAAR can reduce your chance of having a stroke. COZAAR may not help black patients lower their chance of having a stroke.
- COZAAR is the only medicine in its class proven to lower the chance of stroke.
- Slow the worsening of kidney disease
- If you have type 2 diabetes with decreased kidney function and you have high BP, COZAAR can delay the development of serious kidney disease.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Do not take COZAAR if you are allergic to any of the ingredients of COZAAR. (See Patient Product Information for a complete list of ingredients.)
Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant or if you are breast-feeding, it is not known if COZAAR passes into your breast milk. You should choose either to take COZAAR or breast-feed, but not both. You should also tell your doctor if you are vomiting a lot or having a lot of diarrhea, have liver problems, or have kidney problems.
Possible serious side effects of COZAAR include injury or death to your unborn baby, allergic reaction, low blood pressure, and a worsening of kidney function in people who already have kidney problems.
COZAAR may cause the following side effects that may be serious:
- Injury or death of unborn babies.
- Allergic reaction. Symptoms of an allergic reaction are swelling of the face, lips, throat, or tongue. Get emergency medical help right away and stop taking COZAAR.
- Low blood pressure (hypotension). Low blood pressure may cause you to feel faint or dizzy. Lie down if your feel faint or dizzy. Call your doctor right away.
- For people who already have kidney problems, you may see a worsening in how well your kidneys work. Call your doctor if you get swelling in your feet, ankles, or hands, or unexplained weight gain.
The most common side effects of COZAAR in people with high blood pressure are colds (upper respiratory infection), dizziness, stuffy nose, and back pain.
The most common side effects of COZAAR in people with type 2 diabetes with diabetic kidney disease are diarrhea, tiredness, low blood sugar, chest pain, high blood potassium, and low blood pressure.
Do not take COZAAR if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. COZAAR can harm your unborn baby causing injury and even death. Stop taking COZAAR if you become pregnant and call your doctor right away.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Patient Product Information and physician Prescribing Information.
COZAAR is a registered trademark of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Delaware, USA.