Diuretics (cont.)

Pharmacy Author:

Annette (Gbemudu) Ogbru, PharmD, MBA

Annette (Gbemudu) Ogbru, PharmD, MBA

Dr. Gbemudu received her B.S. in Biochemistry from Nova Southeastern University, her PharmD degree from University of Maryland, and MBA degree from University of Baltimore. She completed a one year post-doctoral fellowship with Rutgers University and Bristol Myers Squibb.

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Medical Editor:

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

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In this Article

• What are diuretics and how do they work?
• For what conditions are diuretics used?
• Are there differences among diuretics?
• What are side effects of diuretics?
• What are the drug interactions of diuretics?
• Examples of diuretics
• Thiazides diuretics
• Loop diuretics
• Potassium sparing diuretics
• Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
• Osmotic diuretics
• Nonprescription diuretics

For what conditions are diuretics used?

Diuretics are used with other types of medications (adjunctive therapy) in edema associated with congestive heart failure (CHF), cirrhosis of the liver, and corticosteroid and estrogen therapy.

Diuretics also are useful in edema caused by renal dysfunction (for example, nephrotic syndrome, acute glomerulonephritis, and chronic renal failure). Diuretics are used to lower urinary calcium excretion, making them useful in preventing calcium-containing kidney stones.

Diuretics are used as the sole therapeutic agents to treat hypertension. Diuretics can also be used in combination with other antihypertensive drugs to treat more severe forms of hypertension.

Diuretics (specifically the carbonic anhydrase inhibitors) are used as adjunctive treatment of chronic simple (open-angle) glaucoma and secondary glaucoma

Thiazide diuretics have off–label (non-FDA-approved) uses for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. They can be given alone or in combination with calcium or estrogen. Thiazide diuretics also have off-label uses for treating diabetes insipidus.