In our country, self-medication is hardly a national tradition. Many people, feeling unwell, go not to the doctor, but to the pharmacy, where they buy medicine that “helped the girlfriend”.
One of the most popular drugs that are bought without a prescription is Furosemide. Reviews that are passed from mouth to mouth reward him with almost magical properties. But is this medicine so harmless? Let's try to figure it out.
Pills "Furosemide." Indications
The international and chemical name of the drug also sounds: "Furosemide." A substance derived from sulfonamides is, as written in the instructions, the strongest diuretic or, quite simply, a strong diuretic. The active ingredient is furosemide, and corn starch, magnesium steartate and lactic acid act as auxiliary components. They are added exactly as much as required to form tablets. The drug "Furosemide" is intended exclusively for oral administration, therefore it is available in the form of white or cream-colored tablets. Prescribe a medicine for a variety of diagnoses. It acts effectively:
- As a prophylactic of stagnation of blood circulation that occurs due to heart failure.
- With hypertension, the cause of which is cirrhosis of the liver.
- With edema of the brain, lungs of different origin.
- During premenstrual syndrome.
- In renal failure (both acute and chronic).
- With eclampsia.
The medicine "Furosemide" (doctors' opinions in this matter are unanimous) helps to stop crises caused by high blood pressure, poisoning with barbiturates. The doctor carefully selects the dose of medicine necessary for a particular patient. Sometimes even one tablet taken without a prescription can lead to serious consequences.
Contraindications and side effects
How does the drug "Furosemide" work? Reviews of those who experienced it on themselves note that very quickly. Even after taking just one pill, its effect lasts about four hours. As a result, the level of potassium can sharply decrease in the body, and the amount of fluid inside the cells can decrease. Often the sodium level drops. This, in turn, sometimes leads to vomiting, severe dizziness, temporary loss of vision or hearing.
Other side effects that the Furosemide medication sometimes causes may include depression, a sharp drop in pressure, and an increased flow of blood to an organ (this phenomenon is called "hyperemia").
Quite often, a patient who has taken the Furosemide medication feels “goose bumps” on his skin, his skin goes numb, loses sensitivity. As a result of frequent and abundant urine output, gout, kidney related diseases can worsen. Due to the possible occurrence of side effects, some patients are strictly forbidden to use Furosemide tablets. Reviews of doctors emphasize that the medicine is contraindicated:
- With obstruction of the urinary tract.
- Patient glomerulonephritis.
- Suffering from violations of water-salt metabolism, gout, stenosis.
- Many patients with heart disease.
- With diabetes.
- Children under three years old.
Overdose and interaction with other drugs
In case of an overdose, there may be a violation of the heart rhythm, water-salt metabolism, and a decrease in blood volume. Perhaps a sharp drop in pressure and fainting, resulting from hypotension. The drug "Furosemide" can not be used simultaneously with lithium: this can lead to a severe toxic effect. The same result can be obtained by taking this medication and cardiac glycosides. The medicine enhances the effect of muscle relaxants. Can I drink the drug "Furosemide" for weight loss? Reviews of doctors completely refute the statements of girls using this tool for weight loss. They do not lose weight from it, but simply lose water, which can be dangerous to health.