What is Furosemide?
Furosemide is a loop diuretic drug used to treat fluid build-up due to heart failure, liver scarring, or kidney disease. It is marketed under the brand name Lasix, among others.
It can also be used to treat high blood pressure. It can be injected into the veins or taken by mouth.
Furosemide Uses
Furosemide tablets are used for:
- Furosemide is used because it decreases the amount of excess body fluid (oedema) caused by some disorders, such as heart failure and liver and kidney disease.
- This can alleviate symptoms in your arms, legs, and abdomen, such as shortness of breath and swelling.
- This medicine is used for the treatment of high blood pressure as well. Lowers high blood pressure and helps to avoid the risk of strokes, kidney complications, and heart attacks.
- Furosemide is a diuretic (water pill) that allows you to create more urine. This helps get rid of excess water and salt from your body.
How to take this medication
- If available from your pharmacist, read the Patient Information Leaflet before beginning to take furosemide and any time you get a refill. Ask your doctor.
- Take this medicine by mouth, with or without food, as instructed by your doctor, usually once or twice a day.
- It is best to stop taking this drug to avoid having to get up to urinate within 4 hours of your bedtime.
- The dosage depends on your state of health, age, and reaction to the treatment. For infants and children, it is often weight-dependent.
- In order to minimize the risk of side effects, older adult dosage normally starts with a lower dose. Only raise the dosage or take it less often than necessary.
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Furosemide Side Effects
The following are the side effects of Furosemide:
- Nausea and sickness
- By vomiting
- Sleeplessness
- Weakness or exhaustion
- Nightmares
-
Headaches
- Dry mouth
- Constipation With
- Struggling to urinate
-
Vision Blurred
- In your hands or feet, the discomfort, burning or tingling
- Alterations of sex drive or capacity
- Sweating heavily
- Shifts in weight or appetite
- Uncertainty
- Unsteadiness
It can be serious and have certain side effects. Call your doctor immediately if you encounter any of the following symptoms or those described in the Essential Alert section:
- Slow or challenging speech
- Faintness or dizziness
- Weakness or numbness
- Chest Pain Crushing
- Heartbeat, rapid, pounding, or irregular
- Extreme rash or hives on the skin
- Swelling of the tongue and face
-
Yellowing of the eyes or skin
- Spasms of the jaw, spine, and back muscles
- Uncontrollable shaking of a body part
- Fainting Over
- Uncommon haemorrhages or bruising
-
Stomach pain
- Hearing issues
- Deafness
- Fainting
- Allergic reaction
- Lightheadedness
Precautions
- Before taking furosemide, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it or if you have any other reactions.
- This substance may contain inactive ingredients that cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more information and details.
- Tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history before taking this drug, including kidney problems, liver problems, urinary failure, gout, and lupus.
- Furosemide can affect blood sugar if you have diabetes. As instructed, check your blood sugar regularly and share the results with your doctor. Your doctor may need to change the drug, exercise regimen, or diet for your diabetes.
- Furosemide can decrease your blood potassium level. To prevent potassium loss, your doctor may instruct you to add foods rich in potassium to your diet (such as bananas and orange juice) or prescribe potassium supplements. For more information, ask your doctor.
- This drug can make you more responsive to the sun. Limit your time in the sun, and avoid booths and sun lamps for tanning.
- When you are outside, you should use sunscreen and wear protective clothing. If you have a sunburn, rashes or skin blisters/redness, tell your doctor straight away.
- Excessive sweating, diarrhoea, or vomiting can increase the risk of dehydration. If you experience persistent diarrhoea or vomiting, report it to your doctor. Then, follow your doctor's guidelines on the number of fluids you should drink.
- Inform your doctor or dentist of all the medications you need before having surgery (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).
- Children and babies born early (premature babies) may be more susceptible to the effects of this medicine, such as kidney stones.
- Older adults may be more susceptible to the effects of this medication, especially dizziness and water/mineral loss.
- This drug should be used during pregnancy only when it is obviously needed.
- It can pass through breast milk. Please ask your doctor.
Interactions
- Drug interactions can affect how the drug works or raise the risk of serious side effects. Keep a list and share it with your doctor and pharmacist of all the medications you use (including prescription and nonprescription medicines and herbal products).
- Do not start, stop, or adjust the dosage of any medication without your doctor's permission.
- Some drugs are desmopressin, ethacrynic acid, and lithium, which may interfere with this drug.
- Certain items contain additives that may boost your blood pressure or make your swelling worse. Tell your pharmacist what products you use and ask how to use them safely (especially cough-and-cold products, diet aids, or NSAIDs such as ibuprofen/naproxen).
- Certain lab tests (such as thyroid hormone levels) can interfere with this drug, likely causing false test results. Make sure the laboratory staff and all the physicians know that you are using this medicine.
Note
- Do not share this drug with anyone.
- Exercising, avoiding smoking, reducing stress, and improving diet are lifestyle changes that can improve the function of this drug. For more information, contact your doctor.
- Laboratory and/or medical tests (such as kidney tests and blood mineral levels, such as potassium) should be carried out regularly to track progress or check for side effects. For more info, contact your doctor.
- When taking this drug, monitor your blood pressure regularly. Learn how to control your blood pressure at home, and tell your doctor about the findings.
Overdose
- If overdosed, this drug can be harmful. When someone has taken an overdose, some extreme signs such as passing out or respiratory problems can happen.
Missed Dose
- If you use this product daily and forget a dose, take it as soon as you recall it. If it is near the next dose, don't take the skipped dose.
- Use the next dose regularly. Do not double the dose to recover the missed or forgotten dose.
Furosemide Storage
- Store this medication at room temperature only and keep it away from moisture. Do not flush the drug in the sink or dump it into the sink unless told to do so.
- Disposal of this product is necessarily essential when it has expired or is no longer required of you.
- Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more information and guidance about how to dispose of your product.
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Important
- Furosemide furosemide (frusemide)
- Sulfonamides (such as certain forms of antibiotics that are often referred to as 'sulfur antibiotics') or sulfonylureas are drugs used to treat diabetes.
- Any of the ingredients mentioned in this leaflet at the end.
Some of the allergic reaction signs can include
- Breath shortages
- Wheezing or respiratory problems
- Swelling of the ears, lips, tongue, or other body parts
- A skin rash, scratching, or hives
If you have one of the following medical conditions, do not take this medicine
- Some problems with the kidney and liver
- No urine output or passing
- Low blood pressure (low blood pressure) (hypotension)
- High amounts of potassium in your blood
- Dehydration Hydration
- Yellowing or history of jaundice in children or newborns
- Precoma or liver coma
