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Loop Diuretics..Interesting Facts





In addition to its diuretic effect, furosemide may acutely relieve congestive symptoms by increasing venous capacitance and decreasing pulmonary artery pressures within minutes of a bolus intravenous infusion.  This is before and independent of any diuretic effect.



Bumetanide (Bumex) is another  loop diureticIn the brain, bumetanide blocks the NKCC1 cation-chloride co-transporter, and thus decreases internal chloride concentration in neurons. In turn, this concentration change makes the action of GABA more hyperpolarizing, which may be useful for treatment of neonatal seizures, that quite often are not responsive to traditional GABA-targeted treatment, such as barbiturates. Bumetanide is currently under evaluation as a prospective antiepileptic drug.




Loop Diuretics interactions:
When loop diuretics are administered in conjunction with some antiarrhythmic drugs or cardiac glycosides, the possibility of the development of ventricular disturbances is increased.
NSAIDS decrease the efficacy of loop diuretics.
Loop diuretics increase blood levels of certain drugs.  Lithium is one such example.



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