Loop diuretics

Information about Loop diuretics

The loop diuretics are potent and widely used agents in the therapy of edematous states and congestive heart failure and less commonly for hypertension. 

Liver toxicity of Loop diuretics

Clinically apparent acute liver injury due to the loop diuretics is exceeding rare, if it occurs at all.  

Mechanism of action of Loop diuretics

The loop diuretics act by inhibition of the sodium-potassium-chloride symporter present in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle causing an inhibition of sodium reuptake.  The increase in delivery of sodium to the distal convoluted loop overwhelms its capacity for sodium reabsorption and a brisk sodium diuresis ensues.  The loop diuretics are grouped together because of shared mechanism of action, but they have distinct chemical structures.  The loop diuretics are more potent than the typical thiazide diuretics and usually have a shorter duration of action.  As a result, the loop diuretics are used more for the therapy of edema than long term therapy of hypertension. 

Side effects of Loop diuretics

Common and shared side effects of the loop diuretics include dizziness, headache, gastrointestinal upset, hypernatremia, hypokalemia and dehydration.

List of Loop diuretics

Furosemide (fure oh' se mide) was the first loop diuretic to be approved in the United States (1966) and is still widely used with more than 37 million prescriptions filled yearly.  Furosemide is available in tablets of 20, 40 and 80 mg in generic forms and under the brand name Lasix.  Furosemide is also available as an oral solution and as a liquid solution for injection.  The usual adult dose of furosemide is 20 to 320 mg daily, given in one to three divided doses.   Ethacrynic (eth a krin' ik) acid was the second loop diuretic to be approved for use in the United States (1967), but is now rarely used; it remains available in 25 mg tablets and a solution for intravenous use generically and under the brand name Edecrin.  The usual oral adult dose is 25 to 100 mg in one to three divided doses daily.   Bumetanide (bue met' a nide) is a potent loop diuretic that was approved for use in the United States in 1983 and continues to be used for the treatment of edema.  Bumetanide is available as tablets of 0.5, 1 and 2 mg in generic forms and under the trade name of Bumex.  The usual oral adult dose is 0.5 to 2 mg in two or three divided doses daily.   Torsemide (tor' se mide) was approved for use in edema in the United States in 1993 and is still in common use used for both edema and hypertension.  Torsemide is available in tablets of 5, 10, 20 and 100 mg in generic forms and under the brand name of Demadex.  Solutions are available for intravenous use as well.  The usual oral adult dose is 5 to 100 mg daily in one or two divided doses.

• Dailymed label info on Loop diuretics
• FDA Loop diuretics

Loop diuretics Resources
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