Body as a whole: Headache, malaise, fatigue, fever, pain at injection site, flushing, growth retardation in children, flaccid paralysis, anaphylaxis.

Digestive: Gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

Hematological/Lymphatic: Blood dyscrasias such as aplastic anemia, agranulocytosis, leukopenia, thrombocytopenic purpura, melena.

Hepato-biliary disorders:Abnormal liver function, cholestatic jaundice, hepatic insufficiency, fulminant hepatic necrosis

Metabolic/Nutritional:Metabolic acidosis, electrolyte imbalance, including hypokalemia, hyponatremia, osteomalacia with long-term phenytoin therapy, loss of appetite, taste alteration, hyper/hypoglycemia

Nervous: Drowsiness, paresthesia (including numbness and tingling of extremities and face), depression, excitement, ataxia, confusion, convulsions dizziness

Skin:Allergic skin reactions including urticaria, photosensitivity, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis

Special senses:Hearing disturbances, tinnitus, transient myopia

Urogenital: Crystalluria, increased risk of nephrolithiasis with long-term therapy, hematuria, glycosuria, renal failure polyuria

Read the Diamox Sequels (acetazolamide xr) Side Effects Center for a complete guide to possible side effects »

Aspirin- See WARNINGS

DIAMOX modifies phenytoin metabolism with increased serum levels of phenytoin. This may increase or enhance the occurrence of osteomalacia in some patients receiving chronic phenytoin therapy. Caution is advised in patients receiving chronic concomitant therapy. By decreasing the gastrointestinal absorption of primidone, DIAMOX may decrease serum concentrations of primidone and its metabolites, with a consequent possible decrease in anticonvulsant effect. Caution is advised when beginning, discontinuing, or changing the dose of DIAMOX in patients receiving primidone.

Because of possible additive effects with other carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, concomitant use is not advisable.

Acetazolamide may increase the effects of other folic acid antagonists.

Acetazolamide decreases urinary excretion of amphetamine and may enhance the magnitude and duration of their effect.

Acetazolamide reduces urinary excretion of quinidine and may enhance its effect. Acetazolamide may prevent the urinary antiseptic effect of methenamine. Acetazolamide increases lithium excretion and the lithium may be decreased.

Acetazolamide and sodium bicarbonate used concurrently increases the risk of renal calculus formation.

Acetazolamide may elevate cyclosporine levels.

Drug/laboratory test interactions

Sulfonamides may give false negative or decreased values for urinary phenolsulfonphthalein and phenol red elimination values for urinary protein, serum non-protein, and serum uric acid. Acetazolamide may produce an increased level of crystals in the urine.

Acetazolamide interferes with the HPLC method of assay for theophylline. Interference with the theophylline assay by acetazolamide depends on the solvent used in the extraction; acetazolamide may not interfere with other assay methods for theophylline.

Last reviewed on RxList: 1/7/2009
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.