hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril vs losartan

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Side-by-side comparison of hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril and losartan. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

The VA NEPHRON trial enrolled 1448 patients with type 2 diabetes, elevated urinary-albumin-to-creatinine ratio, and decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR 30 mL/min to 89.9 mL/min), randomized them to lisinopril or placebo on a background of losartan therapy and followed them for a median of 2.2 years. Patients receiving the combination of losartan and lisinopril did not obtain any additional benefit compared to monotherapy for the combined endpoint of decline in GFR, end state renal disease, or death, but experienced an increased incidence of hyperkalemia and acute kidney...

Drug Class
hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril Thiazide Diuretic / ACE Inhibitor Combination
losartan Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker (ARB)
Type
hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril Prescription
losartan Prescription
Summary
hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril

Zestoretic is a drug that combines lisinopril and hydrochlorothiazide. It is used to treat high blood pressure.

losartan

Losartan is a medicine that lowers blood pressure. It can also help prevent strokes in some people with high blood pressure and an enlarged heart.

What It Treats
hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril

Zestoretic is used to treat high blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of heart problems and strokes. Controlling high blood pressure should also include managing cholesterol, diabetes, and quitting smoking. Many people need more than one medicine to control their blood pressure.

losartan

Losartan is used to treat high blood pressure in adults and children over 6 years old. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks. It is also used to treat kidney problems in people with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Losartan can also reduce the risk of stroke in patients with high blood pressure and an enlarged left ventricle of the heart.

How It Works
hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril

Zestoretic contains two medicines. Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor that widens blood vessels. Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic that helps your body get rid of extra salt and water, which also lowers blood pressure.

losartan

Losartan blocks a substance in your body that tightens blood vessels. This helps blood vessels relax, which lowers blood pressure. It also helps the kidneys work better in people with diabetes.

Common Side Effects
hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Cough
  • Feeling tired
losartan
  • Dizziness
  • Upper respiratory infection
  • Nasal congestion
  • Back pain
FAERS Reports
hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril
  • Feeling tired 10,013
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 9,706
  • Loose stools 8,311
  • Discomfort 7,665
  • Difficulty breathing 7,584
losartan
  • Fatigue 11,852
  • Diarrhoea 9,870
  • Nausea 9,207
  • Dyspnoea 8,439
  • Dizziness 7,999
Serious Warnings
hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril

This drug can cause serious harm or death to an unborn baby. Stop taking Zestoretic as soon as you find out you are pregnant.

losartan

Losartan can harm your unborn baby, even causing death. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, tell your doctor right away. Stop taking losartan as soon as you know you are pregnant.

Pregnancy
hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril

Do not take Zestoretic if you are pregnant. It can harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about other blood pressure medicines if you are breastfeeding.

losartan

Do not take losartan if you are pregnant. It can cause serious harm or death to the developing fetus. If you are breastfeeding, talk to your doctor about whether losartan is right for you.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril vs losartan Comparison

hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril is classified in the Thiazide Diuretic / ACE Inhibitor Combination drug class, while losartan sits within the Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker (ARB) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril has 43,279 submissions while losartan has 47,367. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to combining these two drugs can cause your potassium levels to rise and may lead to serious kidney problems without providing extra benefits.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril or losartan.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.