DIURETICS |
| CHEMICAL NAME | BRAND NAME(S) |
| LOOP DIURETICS | |
| BUMETANIDE | BUMEX |
| ETHACRYNIC ACID | EDECRINE |
| FUROSEMIDE | LASIX |
| TORSEMIDE | DEMADEX |
| THIAZIDE DIURETICS | |
| CHLORTHALIDONE | THALITONE |
| CHLORTHIAZIDE | DIURIL |
| HYDROCHLORTHIAZIDE (HCTZ) | ESIDRIX, HYDRODIURIL, MICROZIDE, ORETIC |
| HYDROFLUMETHAZIDE | DIUCARDIN |
| INDAPAMIDE | LOZOL |
| METALAZONE | MYKROX, ZAROXYLYN |
| METHYCLOTHIAZIDE | ENDURON |
| POLYTHIAZIDE | RENESE (a component of MINIZIDE) |
| POTASSIUM SPARING | |
| AMILORIDE | MIDAMOR |
| EPLERENONE | INSPRA |
| SPIRONOLACTONE | ALDACTONE |
| TRIAMTERENE | DYRENIUM |
| COMBINATION | |
| AMILORIDE + HCTZ | MODURETIC |
| SPIRONOLACTONE + HCTZ | ALDACTAZIDE |
| TRIAMTERENE + HCTZ | DYAZIDE, MAXIDE |
Diuretics are also combined with other blood pressure lowering agents. These combination medications are listed on the pages for those other agents. Diuretics are also known as water pills because they remove fluid from the body.
USES OF DIURETICS
TREATMENT OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
TREATMENT OF FLUID RETENTION (including heart failure, kidney failure, cirrhosis)
TREATMENT OF HEART FAILURE (Spironolactone and Eplerenone)
PREVENTION OF CALCIUM KIDNEY STONES
TREATMENT OF NEPHROGENIC DIABETES INSIPIDUS
TREATMENT OF RENAL TUBULAR ACIDOSIS
TREATMENT OF MENIERE'S DISEASE
The loop diuretics are usually used for serious fluid overload states such as congestive heart failure. The others are used for more mild fluid retention as well as the other uses listed above.
Loop and thiazide diuretics cause the body to lose potassium and magnesium. Those minerals often need to be supplemented. The potassium sparing diuretics cause the body to retain potassium. The combination diuretics take advantage of these off-setting side effects to help maintain a normal potassium level in the body.
Diuretics may raise the level of bad cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood but this is rarely clinical problem and does not offset their otherwise beneficial effects. The cholesterol and triglycerides can be treated in the usual fashion. See LOWERING CHOLESTEROL LEVELS and CHOLESTEROL LOWERING MEDICATIONS.
Diuretics remove fluid from the body by making people urinate more. This can cause dehydration if too high a dose is taken. Adverse effects on kidney fuction, serum sodium and serum calcium levels may be seen. They can affect sexual potency in men. However, these medications are safe and well tolerated by the vast majority of patients taking them. Any side effect resolves with discontinuation of the medication.
Spironolactone and Eplerenone are diuretics that also inhibit the effects of a hormone called aldosterone. This hormones is deleterious to failing hearts. Spironolactone and Eplerenone have been shown to improve symptoms and survival in patients with severe heart failure due to weakened heart muscle independent of and in addition to their fluid removing effects.
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