Furosemide

Furosemide is a loop diuretic medication used to treat edema due to heart failure, liver scarring, or kidney disease. It has had many trade names including Discoid, Frusemide, Lasix and Uremide. Furosemide may also be used for the treatment of high blood pressure. It can be taken intravenously or orally. When given intravenously, furosemide typically takes effect within five minutes; when taken orally, it typically metabolizes within an hour.

Common side effects include orthostatic hypotension (decrease in blood pressure while standing, and associated lightheadedness), tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and photosensitivity (sensitivity to light). Potentially serious side effects include electrolyte abnormalities, low blood pressure, and hearing loss. It is recommended that serum electrolytes (especially potassium), serum CO2, creatinine and BUN levels are monitored for people taking furosemide, as well as monitoring of liver and kidney functioning. It is also recommended to be alert for the occurrence of any potential blood dyscrasias. Furosemide is a type of loop diuretic that works by decreasing the reabsorption of sodium by the kidneys. Common side effects of furosemide injection include hypokalemia (low potassium level), hypotension (low blood pressure), and dizziness.

Furosemide was patented in 1959 and approved for medical use in 1964. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. In the United States, it is available as a generic medication. In 2021, it was the 21st most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 26 million prescriptions. In 2020/21 it was the twentieth most prescribed medication in England. It is on the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned drug list due to concerns that it may mask other drugs. It has also been used in race horses for the treatment and prevention of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage.