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from eMedTV.comWhat Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider Before Taking Torsemide?
You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking this medication if you have:- Liver disease, including cirrhosis
- Kidney disease or kidney failure
- Diabetes
- Gout
- Fluid or electrolyte problems
- Any allergies, including allergies to sulfa drugs, foods, dyes, or preservatives.
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you:
- Are pregnant or trying to become pregnant (see Demadex and Pregnancy)
- Are breastfeeding (see Demadex and Breastfeeding).
Tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you are currently taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
(Click Precautions and Warnings With Torsemide for more information on this topic.)
- Controlling high blood pressure (hypertension)
- Treating water retention (edema) due to several causes, including congestive heart failure, cirrhosis, and kidney failure (renal failure).
(Click What Is Torsemide Used For? for more information on what it is used for, including possible off-label uses.)
How Does It Work?
Torsemide is a diuretic, which is commonly referred to as a "water pill." Specifically, torsemide is known as a "loop diuretic," named after the part of the kidneys it affects (the loop of Henle). It works by increasing the amount of salt and water the kidneys remove from the blood. This extra salt and water is passed out through the urine. By increasing the amount of water removed from the blood, torsemide causes a decrease in blood volume. Because of this effect, it can lower blood pressure and can also help with water retention.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD