losartan (Cozaar)

following a full submission:

losartan (Cozaar) is accepted for use within NHS Scotland for the treatment of hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy.

In a large international trial a losartan-based regimen reduced the risk of stroke compared with a beta-blocker-based regimen in patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), who were without clinically evident vascular disease. There are no data on benefits relative to other antihypertensive agents. The trial data are included in the British Hypertension Society guidelines and reference should be made to these with regard to treatment choices for individual patients. An economic model indicates that a losartanbased regimen is cost-effective in patients with hypertension and LVH compared with a beta-blocker-based regimen.