Furosemide

The label describes furosemide tablets for edema, which is fluid swelling, in adults and children. The swelling may come from congestive heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, or kidney disease including nephrotic syndrome.

In adults, the label also describes use for high blood pressure, alone or with other blood pressure medicines.

• Edema from heart failure
• Edema from liver cirrhosis
• Edema from kidney disease
• High blood pressure in adults

The label describes furosemide as acting on the kidney. It blocks the reabsorption of sodium and chloride in the loop of Henle and in parts of the tubules.

This makes the body pass more salt and water in urine, which reduces swelling.

This page covers the US label for furosemide tablets taken by mouth, with the dosing the label gives for adults and, where the label says so, children.

This is label-level information, not personal advice. Indian pack labels may differ, and your prescriber's instruction always comes first.

For adults with edema, the label describes an usual starting dose of 20 to 80 mg as a single dose. The same dose may be repeated after 6 to 8 hours, or raised step by step, until the wanted effect is reached.

The label says the single dose found to work is then given once or twice daily. Some patients with severe swelling may be titrated up to 600 mg a day.

For children, the label describes a starting dose of 2 mg per kg of body weight, with doses above 6 mg per kg not recommended. Older adults should start at the low end of the range.

• Dose is adjusted to your response
• Often given once or twice daily
• Higher doses need blood test monitoring
• Children are dosed by body weight

The label says furosemide must not be used in people with anuria, meaning no urine output, or with a past allergy to furosemide.

It warns that too much fluid loss can cause dehydration, low blood volume and low potassium, especially in older people. In liver cirrhosis it is best started in hospital. Hearing damage is linked to high doses, severe kidney disease and some other drugs.

In pregnancy the label says use only if the benefit justifies the risk to the baby. The label excerpt we reviewed does not fully describe breastfeeding.

• Do not use with no urine output
• Do not use with a past furosemide allergy
• Risk of dehydration and low potassium
• Hearing damage risk at high doses
• Use in pregnancy only if benefit outweighs risk
• Be careful with liver cirrhosis

• Aminoglycoside antibiotics
• Lithium
• High-dose salicylates
• Cisplatin and ethacrynic acid
• The label says furosemide can add to hearing damage from aminoglycoside antibiotics and cisplatin, and should not be used with ethacrynic acid.
• It can raise lithium levels and make salicylate toxicity more likely at high doses.
• It may also affect muscle relaxants used in surgery, and low potassium can strengthen the effect of digitalis.

No match in this label text. Ask your pharmacist about any medicine you take.

The label gives a storage range of 20 to 25 degrees C.

The label also says to protect it from light, keep the container tightly closed.

Follow the storage line on your own pack, and keep medicines out of the reach of children.

We did not find furosemide in the Drugs Rules 1945 Schedule H, H1, X or G rows we checked, so we cannot state its Indian prescription status from our lists. Ask your pharmacist or doctor.

Furosemide is on the National List of Essential Medicines 2022. Listed forms include: Tablet 40 mg (page 92); Oral liquid 10 mg/mL (page 92).

NPPA lists ceiling prices for scheduled furosemide formulations. The table shows the rows we found. Check NPPA directly for the current list.

NPPA ceiling prices set the most a seller can charge per unit for the listed formulations, before local taxes. They are ceilings, not the price you will always pay.