Strong diuretic furosemide, also known as a “water pill,” can dehydrate the body and upset its electrolyte balance. You must follow your doctor’s instructions to the letter. Make a quick call to your doctor if you encounter any of the following signs: reduced urination, dry mouth, thirst, nauseousness, vomiting, weakness, drowsiness, confusion, cramping or painful muscles, or a thumping or rapid heartbeat.

To treat high blood pressure, furosemide is used either on its own or in conjunction with other drugs. Furosemide is used to treat edema, which is excess fluid retained in bodily tissues as a result of a variety of illnesses, such as liver, kidney, and heart disease. Diuretics, also known as “water pills,” are a class of drugs that includes furosemide. It functions by causing the kidneys to excrete salt and water from the body through the urine.

High blood pressure is a common illness that, if left untreated, can harm the kidneys, brain, heart, blood vessels, and other organs. Heart disease, a heart attack, heart failure, a stroke, renal failure, eyesight loss, and other issues may result from damage to these organs. Making lifestyle modifications will help you control your blood pressure in addition to taking medication. These adjustments include quitting smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation, eating a diet low in fat and salt, keeping a healthy weight, and exercising for at least 30 minutes most days.

Both tablets and a solution (liquid) for oral administration are available for furosemide. Typically, it is consumed once or twice a day. Furosemide may be taken every day or just on particular days of the week when treating edema. Take furosemide at approximately the same time(s) each day for the treatment of hypertension. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. As advised, take furosemide as prescribed. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

Furosemide manages edema and high blood pressure but does not treat them. Even if you feel good, keep taking furosemide. Without consulting your doctor, do not discontinue taking furosemide.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you’re interested in using this medication for any other conditions.

Before taking furosemide,

• If you have an allergy to furosemide, sulfonamide drugs, any other medications, or any of the substances in furosemide tablets or solution, let your doctor and pharmacist know right once. For a list of the ingredients, consult the patient information or speak with your pharmacist.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about all prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products that you are now taking or intend to use. Incorporate any of the following: antibiotics known as aminoglycosides, such as tobramycin (Bethkis, Tobi), gentamicin (Garamycin), and amikacin; angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors such as benazepril (Lotensin, in Lotrel), captopril (Capoten), fosinopril, lisinopril (in Prinzide, in Zestoretic), moexipril (Univasc, in Uniretic), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril, in Accuretic), ramipril (Altace), and trandolapril (Mavik, in Tarka); ARBs (angiotensin II receptor antagonists) include losartan (Cozaar, Hyzaar), eprosartan (Teveten, in Teveten HCT), irbesartan (Avapro, in Avalide), candesartan (Edarbi, Edarbyclor), and azilsartan (Edarbi, in Edarbyclor), aspirin and other salicylates, barbiturates like phenobarbital and secobarbital (Seconal), as well as valsartan (Benicar, in Diovan HCT, Exforge), olmesartan (Benicar, in Azor, Benicar HCT), telmisartan (Micardis, in Micardis HCT);corticosteroids such as fludrocortisone (Floriner), hydrocortisone (Cortef, Hydrocortone), betamethasone (Celestone), budesonide (Entocort), cortisone (Cortone), dexamethasone (Decadron, Dexpak, Dexasone, and others), cisplatin (Platinol); methylprednisolone (Medrol, Meprolone, others); prednisone (Deltasone, Meticorten, Sterapred, others); and triamcinolone (Aristocort, Azmacort); digoxin (Lanoxin), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), indomethacin (Indocin), laxatives, lithium (Lithobid), cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune), drugs for diabetes, high blood pressure and discomfort; methotrexate (Trexall); probenecid (Probalan, Probenemid); and phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek). Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects.
• Take sucralfate (Carafate) two hours before or after taking furosemide if you’re taking it.
• In case you have kidney illness, let your doctor know. Your physician might advise against taking furosemide.
• Inform your doctor if you have or have had had diabetes, gout, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a chronic inflammatory disease, or liver disease. These conditions prevent your bladder from emptying fully.
• Inform your doctor if you are expecting, intend to get pregnant, or are nursing a baby. While using this medication, avoid breastfeeding. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking furosemide.
• Inform the surgeon that you are taking furosemide if you are having surgery.
• Plan to use protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen in addition to avoiding needless or prolonged sun exposure. Your skin could become photosensitive when using furosemide.
• You should be aware that if you get out of a sleeping position too rapidly while taking furosemide, you could have dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting. When you initially start taking furosemide, this happens more frequently. Get out of bed gradually, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up, to avoid this issue. These negative effects may be exacerbated by alcohol.

Follow these guidelines carefully if your doctor advises you to eat or drink more potassium-rich foods (such as bananas, prunes, raisins, and orange juice) or to follow a low-salt or low-sodium diet.

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If your next dose is approaching, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing regimen. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Excessive urination
• Fuzzy vision
• Headache
• Constipation
• Diarrhea

Some adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away or go to the hospital for emergency care if you experience any of these signs or any of the ones detailed in the IMPORTANT WARNINGS section:

• Fever
• Hearing ringing
• Decline in hearing
• Rash
• Hives
• Flaking or blistering skin
• Itching
• Breathing or swallowing challenges
• Eyes or skin that have a yellow tint

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch or by phone at 1-800-332-1088 if you have a serious side event.

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it at room temperature and out of the bathroom and other places with excessive heat and moisture. After 90 days, discard any unused furosemide solution.

As many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

To make sure that pets, kids, and other people cannot take leftover pharmaceuticals, they should be disposed of in a specific manner. You shouldn’t flush this medication down the toilet, though. The best option to get rid of your medication is instead through a medication take-back program. To find out about take-back initiatives in your neighborhood, speak with your pharmacist or get in touch with your city’s waste/recycling department. If you do not have access to a take-back program, you can find more information at the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p).

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Additionally, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Overdose symptoms could include:

• Severe thirst
• Mouth ache
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Extreme fatigue
• Vomiting
• Stomach pain

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. Blood tests should be performed occasionally, and your blood pressure should be checked often.

Inform the lab staff and your doctor that you are taking furosemide prior to any laboratory test.

No one else should take your medication. Any queries you may have regarding medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every drug you take, including prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medications, vitamins, minerals, and other dietary supplements. Every time you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital, you should carry this list with you. Additionally, it is crucial to have this knowledge on hand in case of emergency.