Key takeaways
Trandolapril (generic, formerly branded as Mavik) and Losartan (generic, branded as Cozaar) are both medications used to treat high blood pressure, but they belong to different drug classes. Trandolapril is an ACE inhibitor, which works by blocking the hormone angiotensin II to relax blood vessels and reduce blood pressure. Losartan, on the other hand, is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) that prevents angiotensin II from attaching to its receptors, also leading to relaxed blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Trandolapril is also used to lower the risk of death and hospitalization in people with heart failure after a heart attack, while Losartan can protect against stroke in certain people with high blood pressure, and slow down kidney problems in people with Type 2 diabetes. Both medications are taken once daily and are available as lower-cost generics. However, Trandolapril is more likely to cause a dry cough, whereas Losartan is less likely to cause this side effect but may lead to upper respiratory infections. Neither medication is safe to use during pregnancy.
