What is furosemide?
- Type of drug: water tablet (loop diuretic)
- Use: fluid overload states (including CKD and nephrotic syndrome)
- Dose: 40 mg once a day to 120 mg twice a day, or 250 mg once a day (40 mg once a day is a typical dose)
- Side-effects:
- Dehydration – shown by dizziness and low blood pressure
- Hyponatraemia, hypokalaemia and hypocalcaemia (low sodium, potassium and calcium levels) – that you will not normally notice
- Blistering rash and deafness – in high dosage
- Monitor: sodium, potassium, calcium.
Furosemide works by inhibiting reabsorption of sodium (and chloride) – and therefore water – in the thick ascending loop of Henle.
Note 1. Other loop diuretics include: Bumetanide
Note 2. Can be used to treat hypercalcaemia (high blood calcium).
Other resources
10 best water tablets
CKD drug side-effects
CKD patient information (CKD Explained’s 30+ core articles about CKD)
Furosemide (BNF)
Review article: Khan, 2023
Last Reviewed on 11 May 2024