What are the side effects of angiotensin-2 antagonists?
The side effect of angiotensin-2 antagonists is increase in potassium, a blood salt. The administration of angiotensin-2 antagonists may cause dizziness. A rare side effect is a dry cough. With this group of drugs it should be noted that there may be a strong reduction in blood pressure at the beginning of therapy, so that a low dosage should be chosen initially.
What are countersigns? When should angiotensin-2 antagonists not be taken?
Drugs with this mechanism of action must not be used in pregnant women, patients with renal artery narrowing or severe liver damage. If the patient receives potassium or takes a medication that retains potassium in the body, such as certain drainage medications (diuretics), angiotensin-2 antagonists may not be prescribed. Patients with a narrowing of the renal artery (renal artery stenosis), patients with only one kidney, those with liver dysfunction, a heart valve defect or a dilatation of the heart chambers must not take angiotensin-2 antagonists.
Neither should this group of drugs be used if there is a reduced volume in the vascular system or an increase in potassium in the blood before treatment begins. Long-term experience with angiotensin-2 antagonists is limited, but there are good long-term data on ACE inhibitors. The use of angiotensin-2 antagonists has therefore been recommended to date if side effects or intolerance occur with ACE inhibitors.
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