Description
Lasix
Lasix is a brand diuretic, which contains the active ingredient Furosemide. Lasix helps to reduce swelling or lower blood pressure by removing excess fluid from the body.
The diuretic Lasix is produced in three dosage forms:
- IV injection (10 mg/ml)
- Oral solution (10 mg/ml)
- Film-coated tablets (20 mg, 80 mgor 40 mg)
Prescribing Information
Lasix is one of the most effective drugs for the treatment of edema, caused by renal, cardiovascularor hepatic diseases, including:
- Hypertension
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Nephrotic syndrome
- Heart failure
Lasix is also approved for the treatment of oliguria, a pathological condition in which the amount of urine output by the kidneys is substantially reduced.
Dosage
When choosing the most effective and safe dosing schedule for Lasix, the patient’s age, type of disease and personal therapeutic response to the action of this diureticshould be taken into account.
- At the beginning of the edematreatment, adults are recommended to take 20-80 mg of Lasix once.
- The interval between the doses of Lasix should be at least six hours.
- If the initial adult dose of Lasix does not provide a sufficient diuretic action, it can be increased to a maximum of 600 mg per day.
- The maximum recommended frequency of Lasix use for the treatment of edema is four days per week.
Children’s dose of Lasix is selected depending on the child’sweight. At the beginning of the edema treatment in children, it is recommended to use 2 mg/kg of Lasix per day. The maximum daily dose of Lasix for children is 6 mg/kg.
The initial daily dose of Lasix for the treatment of hypertension is 80 mg, divided into two intakes.To effectively control blood pressure, patients with hypertension may be prescribed Lasix in combination with antihypertensive drugs.
Interactions
Lasix can interact with antibiotics (Amikacin) or chemotherapy drugs (Cisplatin). You can take Lasix concomitantly with one of these drugs only if the potential benefit of such use exceeds the risks.
Lasix can potentiate the therapeutic effect of drugs for the treatment of hypertension, such as:
- Losartan
- Doxazosin
- Fosinopril
- Methyldopa
- Metoprolol
During the combined use of one of the listed drugs with Lasix, the dosage of all antihypertensive agents used should be minimal.
Side effects
The results of clinical studies prove that the most frequent adverse reactions of Lasix are weakness, dehydration, arrhythmia, convulsions, and hypovolemia.
Very rarely, Lasix can cause headache, fever, rash, dyspnea, and nausea. Diabetics who use Lasix to reduce edema or regulate blood pressure may experience impaired glucose tolerance.
Tips
To avoid dehydration or diuresis, it is not recommended to use large doses of Lasix for a long time. The use of the following drugs is recommended during a Lasix course to reduce the risk of metabolic alkalosis or hypokalemia:
- Inspra (Eplerenone)
- Aldactone (Spironolactone)
- K-Tab (Potassium Chloride)
The elderly with renal diseases may need to adjust the daily dose of Lasix. Patients over 65 years of age are encouraged to regularly perform kidney function testsduring the Lasix course.