Do diuretics affect potassium levels?

Do diuretics affect potassium levels?

Diuretics are commonly used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). They lower blood pressure by helping your body eliminate sodium and water through your urine. However, some diuretics can also cause you to eliminate more potassium in your urine. This can lead to low potassium levels in your blood (hypokalemia).

What labs do you monitor with diuretics?

Lab Test Considerations: Monitor electrolytes (especially potassium), blood glucose, BUN, and serum uric acid levels before and periodically throughout course of therapy.

Which diuretics increase potassium levels?

Loop diuretics and thiazide diuretics are stronger than potassium-sparing diuretics with regard to making the kidneys pass out more fluid. However, they also increase the amount of potassium passed out of the body through the kidneys.

Do all diuretics cause low potassium?

Not all diuretics cause this problem. Medications called potassium-sparing diuretics don’t lower potassium levels. Examples include spironolactone (Aldactone), eplerenone (Inspra) and triamterene (Dyrenium).

Which diuretic causes most hypokalemia?

Thiazide diuretics tend to deplete potassium in a dose-dependent fashion. It has been suggested that this adverse effect may increase the risk of sudden cardiac death and limit the benefit of high-dose diuretic treatment on coronary events.

What should you monitor for when giving diuretics?

Clinicians should include periodic monitoring of blood pressures, fluid status (including weight), serum electrolytes, and renal function in continued diuretic treatments. Goals for diuresis should consist of dosage adjustments as patients progress with their response to the diuretics.

What should I watch when taking diuretics?

Diuretics are a class of medications commonly known as “water pills.”…Warnings and Precautions

• Have severe liver or kidney disease.
• Are dehydrated.
• Have an irregular heartbeat.
• Are in the third trimester of pregnancy and/or have developed high blood pressure during your pregnancy.
• Are age 65 or older.
• Have gout.

What is the best potassium-sparing diuretic?

List of Potassium-sparing diuretics: