Losartan May Not Reduce Hospitalization Due to COVID-19

Losartan is not effective in reducing hospitalization for mildly-ill COVID-19 outpatients, as per the multicenter, randomized, double-blinded clinical trial done on non-hospitalized patients recently diagnosed with COVID-19. The study’s results, were published in EClinicalMedicine. Losartan does not reduce the likelihood of hospitalization, but it didnt worsen symptoms of COVID-19 or have any significant or side effects.

"Based on our results, there is no benefit to starting losartan for newly diagnosed outpatients with COVID-19, but those who are already taking the medication for pre-existing health conditions should feel safe continuing it," said Michael Puskarich, MD, an associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the U of M Medical School and co-principal investigator of this study. He is also an emergency physician at Hennepin Healthcare.

Some researchers believe losartan may reduce inflammation and help those infected recover, others worried that the drug could worsen COVID-19 symptoms.

"Given SARS-CoV-2 binding with ACE2 there has been significant research interest into the utility of ACE and AT1R blocking agents to combat COVID-19.

This study provides insight that for patients with mild COVID-19, who do not require hospital admission, that there is no benefit or harm from such agents," said co-principal investigator Christopher Tignanelli, MD, MS, an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at the U of M Medical School and critical care surgeon with M Health Fairview.

The present research team is also working on other trial for inpatients to evaluate if losartan prevents lung injury in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. They have completed enrollment and are currently analyzing the data.

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Source-Medindia