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Furosemide (Lasix)

Category:

  • Diuretic

Description:

  • Loop diuretic

Indications:

  • Edema associated with CHF, hepatic cirrhosis, renal disease, nephrotic syndrome

  • Hypertension

  • Pulmonary edema

Contraindications:

  • Anuria

Precautions:

  • Pregnancy category C; excreted into breast milk

  • Diabetes mellitus, dehydration, severe renal disease, cirrhosis ascites

  • System lupus erythematosis

  • Gout

  • Take with food or milk to reduce GI upset; avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight

Adverse Reactions (Side Effects):

  • CNS: dizziness, fever, headache, paresthesia, restlessness, vertigo

  • CV: chest pain, cardiovascular collapse, ECG changes, orthostatic hypotension

  • EENT: blurred vision, ototoxicity

  • GI: anorexia, constipation, cramping, diarrhea, ischemic hepatitis, jaundice, nausea, vomiting, oral and gastric irritation

  • GU: glycosuria, hyperuricemia, urinary bladder spasm

  • HEME: agranulocytosis, anemia, aplastic anemia, leukopenia, purpura, thrombocytopenia

  • METAB: hyperglycemia

  • SKIN: erythema multiforme, exfoliative dermatitis, interstitial nephritis, necrotizing angiitis, photosensitivity, pruritis, rash urticaria  

Dosage:

Administered orally (tablets, solution), intravenously, and intramuscularly

  • Adult: 

    • PO 20-80 mg daily in the morning; may give another dose in 6 hours; increase in increments of 20-40mg up to 400mg daily if response not satisfactory: 

    • IM/IV 20-40mg, increased by 20mg every 2 hours until desired response (rule of thumb: IV dose = ½ oral dose).

    • Pulmonary edema: 

      • IV 40mg given over several minutes, repeated in 1 hour; increase to 80mg if needed

  • Child: 

    • PO/IM/IV 1-2 mg/kg/dose up to 6 mg/kg/day in divided doses every 6-12 hours

Drug Interactions:

  • Additive/increased ototoxicity: aminoglycosides

  • Enhanced nephrotoxicity: cephalosporins

  • Diuretic induced hypokalemia may increase risk of digitalis toxicity: digoxin, digitoxin

  • Reduced diuretic response: barbiturates, phenytoin

  • Case reports of sudden death hyponatremia proposed; causal relationships not established: seratonin-reuptake inhibitors

  •  Additive hypokalemia: terbutaline

 


The information contained here is an abbreviated summary. For more detailed and complete information, consult the manufacturer's product information sheets or standard textbooks

Source: Operational Medicine 2001,  Health Care in Military Settings, NAVMED P-5139, May 1, 2001, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Department of the Navy, 2300 E Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20372-5300

This information is provided by The Brookside Associates.  The Brookside Associates, LLC. is a private organization, not affiliated with any governmental agency. The opinions presented here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Brookside Associates or the Department of Defense. The presence of any advertising on these pages does not constitute an endorsement of that product or service by either the US Department of Defense or the Brookside Associates. All material presented here is unclassified.

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