What Is Diuretics ?Diuretics is a type of drug used to help get rid your body of (sodium) and water. Diuretics is also known as the 'water pill'.
It works by making your kidneys put more sodium into your urine. The sodium, in turn, takes water with it from your blood. That decreases the amount of fluid flowing through your blood vessels, which reduces pressure on the walls of your arteries. (remove excess water from the body) There are 3 types of diuretics: thiazide, loop and potassium-sparing. Each of these work by affecting a different part of your kidneys, and each can have different uses, and side effects. Trying to find which diuretic is best for you, depends on your health and the type of condition being treated. Different types of diuretics can be combined into the one pill. |
Thiazide diuretics
Decrease active re-absorption of sodium and chloride ions by inhibiting the sodium/chloride co-transporter in the distal convoluted tubule. They also increase potassium ion loss. Thiazide diuretics decrease the blood volume by diuresis and are used in the treatment of hypertension.
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Loop diureticsInhibit the Na+/K+/2Cl- co-transporter in the thick ascending loop of Henley, in the kidneys and stop the transport of sodium chloride out of the tubule into the interstitial tissue, causing a decrease in sodium and chloride re-absorption.
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Potassium-sparing diureticsGenerally used in combination with other diuretic drugs (e.g. loop diuretics ) that would otherwise tend to lower the potassium levels to potentially dangerous low levels (hypokalaemia). It is a drugs that does not promote the secretion of potassium into the urine.
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