Losartan is an orally active, selective, nonpeptide, angiotensin-II Type I-receptor antagonist, and was the first drug marketed in this class. It has been approved for the treatment of hypertension, and may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents. Based on the Losartan Intervention For Endpoint reduction in hypertension (LIFE) study, losartan has been approved for the reduction of cardiovascular events in patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy, but there is evidence that this benefit does not apply to black patients. Based on the Reduction of Endpoints in NIDDM with the Angiotensin II Antagonist Losartan (RENAAL) study, losartan is also indicated for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy with an elevated serum creatinine and proteinuria, in patients with Type 2 diabetes. The focus of this review is the LIFE study.