Furosemide is used to reduce the swelling and fluid retention caused by various medical problems, including heart or liver disease. It is also used to treat high blood pressure.

Manufacture: Sanofi

Brand Name: Lasix
Generic Name: Furosemide.
This medication is not meant for treatment without a specialist's intervention.
Common Uses
Furosemid is a loop diuretic. It is good in treatment congestive heart failure and edema, associated with hepatic cirrhosis, renal impairment, nephrotic syndrome. Also it is used for treat high blood pressure and other conditions that require the elimination of excess fluid from the body.

How to Take
Before you start taking any new medicine, please consult a doctor. The usual dose for adult patients starts form 20 to 80 mg taken once or twice a day. After a trial period your doctor may increase dose or prescribe to take several doses with time interval of 6 or 8 hours. You should be monitored carefully using laboratory tests. The maximum dose is 600 mg a day.

Warning and Precautions
Furosemide sometimes causes lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting. Please avoid operating a potentially unsafe tasks or mechanisms such as driving a car until you know your reaction to it. The effect may be worse if you take alcohol or certain medicines, such as sleep aids or muscle relaxants. Use Furosemide with caution. It may cause you to become sunburned more easily. Try to avoid the open sun, sunlamps, or tanning booths until you know how you react to it. Wear protective clothing or use a sunscreen if you have to be outside for a long time. People who take Furosemide often feel tired or have muscle weakness, rapid or irregular heartbeat it means low potassium level. The doctor may prescribe a potassium supplement or recommend potassium-rich foods. Be sure to take your medicine even if you may not feel improvement. Before you start taking any new medicine, even prescribed without RX or based on herbal components, check it with your doctor.

Important
Furosemide should not be used while pregnant. If you are pregnant, stop taking Furosemide. If you are planning to become pregnant, make sure your doctor knows that you are taking Furosemide. It also appears in breast milk and could affect a nursing infant.

Missed Dose
If your doctor gave you strict instructions not to miss dose and if you have missed one, take the missed dose as soon as you have remembered. If it is time for your next dose, skip it and continue taking you medicine regularly. Do not double the medicine. It can cause severe side effects.

Overdose
Almost any medicine taken in excess doses without consultation with your doctor can cause an overdose. Symptoms of an overdose may include excessive thirst, dry mouth, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, weak or irregular heartbeat, weakness or drowsiness. If you suspect an overdose, contact your emergency room immediately.

Storage
Furosemide should be stored at room temperature in a container it comes in. Protect from heat, sun light and moisture. Do not store this medication in the bathroom. Keep it away from pets and children.

Possible Side Effects
Any medicine can cause side effects. If the side effects occur, seek medical attention or consult your doctor immediately. Such common side effects may bother you: blurred vision, diarrhea, dizziness, fever, headache, hearing loss, ringing in the ears, high blood sugar, hives, itching, loss of appetite, muscle spasms, nausea, restlessness, sensitivity to light, skin eruptions, skin inflammation and flaking, stomach or mouth irritation, vomiting, weakness, yellow eyes and skin. Seek medical attention if any of these side effects occur: chest pain, allergic reactions, difficulty swallowing or breathing, fainting, irregular or slow heartbeat, shortness of breath, unusual stomach pain.

More Information
The information given above is a summary. Your doctor can provide more information about Furosemide. Do not share this medicine with others for whom it was not prescribed. Do not use this medication for other health conditions. Do not store Furosemide with an end term of its storage.