What it means
ARBs treat high blood pressure and heart failure and help protect the kidneys in diabetes. Their generic names end in -sartan: losartan, valsartan, irbesartan, olmesartan, candesartan. They work much like ACE inhibitors but rarely cause the dry cough those drugs can cause. They can raise the potassiumpuh-TAS-ee-umA mineral in the blood that nerves and muscles, including the heart, need in order to work.Full entry level and, rarely, cause swelling of the face and throat (angioedemaan-jee-oh-eh-DEE-muhSwelling in the deeper layers of the skin and the lining of the mouth, throat or gut.angi/o vesseledema swellingFull entry ).
For the nurse
Check the blood pressure before each dose and teach the client to stand up slowly. Watch the potassium level and kidney function, and tell the client not to use potassium supplements or salt substitutes unless prescribed. The boxed warning is for harm to an unborn baby: these drugs are stopped as soon as pregnancy is known.
Remember it
"-sartan" means ARB.
At a glance
| Spanish | antagonista del receptor de angiotensina II |
|---|---|
| Also written | ARB, ARBs, angiotensin receptor blocker, angiotensin receptor blockers |
Related terms
hyperkalemia
A blood potassium level above normal, over 5.0 mEq/L.
hypertension
Blood pressure that stays higher than normal, at or above 130/80 mm Hg by current US guidelines.
heart failure
A long-term condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.
angioedema
Swelling in the deeper layers of the skin and the lining of the mouth, throat or gut.