People’s Pharmacy: Can long-term use of losartan lead to hand tremors?

Q. I have been taking losartan for 25 years to control blood pressure. Recently, I developed a hand tremor, so my doctor prescribed a beta blocker to help with the tremor. Could long-term use of losartan have led to the tremor?

A. Prescribing information for losartan, a popular medication for high blood pressure, does not warn of tremor as a side effect. We found one case report in the medical literature, but that man developed the problem early in treatment (Cureus, Dec. 13, 2019).

The most prescribed blood pressure medicine in the U.S. is lisinopril. Like losartan, it acts on the Renin-Angiotensin system to relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure. We have received a number of reports from people who have experienced hand tremor associated with lisinopril.

One reader wrote: “I have been taking lisinopril for the last six months and started having hand tremors. They are most noticeable when I pick up something like a cup of coffee or a glass of water. It’s very uncomfortable and annoying. I mentioned this to my doctor, but he completely ignored me.”

You don’t say if you are still taking losartan. If you and your doctor will be considering a different antihypertensive drug, you may want to read our “eGuide to Blood Pressure Solutions.” This online resource is located under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.

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In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”