(m) COZAAR lowers high blood pressure, which doctors call hypertension. COZAAR is also used to slow the progression of kidney disease in people who have type 2 diabetes mellitus (also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes) with protein in their urine (which doctors call proteinuria). Hypertension: Everyone has blood pressure. This pressure helps get your blood all around your body. Your blood pressure may be different at different times of the day, depending on how busy or worried you are. You have hypertension (high blood pressure) when your blood pressure stays high, even when you are calm and relaxed. There are usually no symptoms of hypertension. The only way of knowing that you have hypertension is to have your blood pressure checked on a regular basis. If high blood pressure is not treated it can lead to serious health problems. You may feel fine and have no symptoms, but eventually hypertension can cause stroke, heart disease or kidney failure. COZAAR helps to lower your blood pressure. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the body s cells do not respond to the effects of insulin or too little insulin is produced, resulting in an elevated blood (sugar) level, known as hyperglycaemia. Insulin maintains the appropriate level of glucose in the blood by transporting it into the body s cells so that they can produce energy or store glucose until it s needed. Hyperglycaemia can lead to serious problems with your heart, eyes, circulation or kidneys. When kidney damage occurs, its ability to filter blood is reduced, and proteins in the blood are lost in the urine. This may eventually lead to kidney failure. In people who have type 2 diabetes mellitus with protein in their urine, COZAAR helps to slow the worsening of kidney disease and reduce the need for dialysis or kidney transplantation. How it works COZAAR belongs to a group of medicines, called angiotensin II receptor antagonists. It works to lower your blood pressure by relaxing your blood vessels. In addition, COZAAR slows the progression of kidney disease in people who have type 2 diabetes mellitus with protein in the urine. COZAAR is not addictive.