Home HealthTopics Health Centers Reference Library Search NetWellnessSearch   Advanced

Heart Failure

Losartan as Treatment for Pulmonary Fibrosis

01/07/2009

Question:

Please comment if Losartan may help fight pulmonary fibrosis.Thanks

Answer:

Losartan is an Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker that is commonly used to treat heart failure and high blood pressure. There is experimental laboratory and animal studies that suggest that this class of drugs may be useful in some types of interstitial lung disease. However, not all of the experimental studies agree and there are no large randomized, placebo-controlled studies of Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers in humans with pulmonary fibrosis. In summary, there is some information that these drugs may be effective in laboratory animals, particularly if given very early but no indication of whether they help, hurt, or do nothing for humans with pulmonary fibrosis. At present, they are not recommended as treatment for pulmonary fibrosis.

For more information:

Go to the Heart Failure health topic, where you can:

Response by:

The Ohio State University James N. Allen, Jr., MD
Professor - Clinical
Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
Department of Internal Medicine
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University
James N. Allen, Jr., MD