Losartan/cozaar and ITP

If you are taking Losartan or Cozaar for HBP be sure if you begin to bruise that you tell your dr. I am not 100 percent sure but I believe this is what triggered ITP in me. I had blood work in March and May of 2010 and everything was fine. Was put on Losartan in April and started bruising in November. All sheets from pharmacy said this could be a rare side effect and so did WEB MD and Drugs.com but my dr blew me off. In Dec I went and he still would not tkae me off the Losartan or do a CBC. I fnially 3 days before Christmas told the Dr to put me on Lisinopril. He did but by then my platelets were already low and it had already effected me. In Jan 2011 (4 days ago) he finaly did a CBC and my platelets were at 8000. So I went to a hematologist and he said it could have been the Losartan and put me on Prednisone. I am to go back in a few days but he DX me with ITP in the office cause he checked everything except a bone marrow. He said all my other blood work was fine and really did not see a need in doing the biopsy. I am posting this mainly just to get the information out there. I have read in clinical trials, and on other websites that Losartan could cause this but because it is rare many Drs just blow it off as not happening.
Please commit if you would like I would love to see others thoughts on this.
Shannon

Shannon:

Most drugs have the potential to trigger ITP. If you look in the PDR, most of them have thrombocytopenia as a side effect. The people who are affected by it probably just have a genetic predisposition. You may never really know what triggered or caused ITP; at this point, all you can do is treat it. I hope the new drug doesn't cause a problem.

I've had ITP since 1988, have had several remissions and lots of different treatments including splenectomy and accessory splenectomy. I've been on Losartan/Hctz since 2002 and have not seen any relation to bleeding symptoms. As Sandi says many meds mention that side effects could include thrombocytopenia. I guess you just have to be aware and discuss any problems not only with your primary care MD but also your hemotologist. My hemo really listens and even asks for my input on treatment. Good luck!


Debbie D:cheer:

I think the important thing here is that you will know the drug to be a potential threat trigger to ITP for you. If any doctor in the future tries to put you on it you can explain why you prefer not to be on it. If they insist and you really don't want to be on it - find another doctor and get a second opinion. It is about finding out what works for you and what don't work for you and now you have one suspect you can chose never to take that drug again - unless you want to test the theory? Glad you have found a possible cause and you know what to do in the future.

as for doctors some take longer to listen that others and some don't get around to listening. he listened eventually by the sounds of it but you get to control the outcome next time based on prior experience.

Good luck and hope you are now happier with how things are going for you

I take both Losartan and Benicar for HBP.
These have had had zero effect on my ITP and neither were the cause of my ITP.

Heck....if you read the warnings on pretty much any medicine, it'll scare the bejeebers outta you!

I understand that this can be a rare but real side effect of Losartan. I would have never thought it either except I had blood work done 6 months ago BEFORE Losartan and my platelets and all blood work was fine and always has been. The ONLY thing that changed in that 6 months was my BP meds to the Losartan. within 3 months I was bruising and by Dec my platelets had dropped. I just think that is really odd not to mention the fact that once I was off the Losartan my bruising got better and my platelets began to rise just not at a good rate. That is why they put me on the steroids. It may not be the only cause of my ITP but at this point until I know what my levels are going to do after steroids I have to see if this drug was not at least a prime factor.

I take Losartan and have never had a problem.

I fully agree that this is a rare sideeffect, but it is listed and the Dr did say that he could not rule it out. You know I spoke to one man that had cognitive problems after taking Losartan and ended up at a research Hosp who told him it was the drug, he was considered in the <1% ever to have this sideeffect, Everyone is different.