Torsemide

Generic name: Torsemide (oral/injection)
Dosage form: oral tablet (10 mg; 100 mg; 20 mg; 40 mg; 5 mg; 60 mg)
Drug class: Loop diuretics

Usage of Torsemide

Torsemide is a loop diuretic (water pill) that is used to treat fluid retention (edema) in people with heart failure, liver disease, or kidney disease.

Torsemide is also used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Lowering blood pressure may lower your risk of a stroke or heart attack.

Torsemide may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Torsemide side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor right away if you have:

a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;

ringing in your ears, sudden hearing loss;

kidney problems--little or no urination, painful or difficult urination, swelling in your feet or ankles, feeling tired or short of breath;

low magnesium level--dizziness, irregular heartbeats, feeling jittery, muscle cramps, muscle spasms, cough or choking feeling;

low potassium level--leg cramps, constipation, irregular heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, increased thirst or urination, numbness or tingling, muscle weakness or limp feeling; or

low sodium level--headache, confusion, slurred speech, severe weakness, vomiting, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady.

Common side effects of torsemide may include:

increased urination; or

headache.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Torsemide

You should not use torsemide if you are allergic to it, or if:

you are unable to urinate; or

you are allergic to an oral diabetes medicine.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

heart disease;

kidney problems (unless you are taking torsemide for edema related to kidney disease);

liver problems such as cirrhosis or hepatitis (unless you are taking torsemide for edema related to liver disease);

gout;

an allergy to povidone (sometimes contained in iodine, Betadine); or

if you are on a low-salt diet.

If you need to have any type of x-ray or CT scan using a dye that is injected into your veins, tell your caregivers that you currently take torsemide.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether torsemide will harm an unborn baby. However, having high blood pressure during pregnancy may cause complications such as diabetes or eclampsia (dangerously high blood pressure that can lead to medical problems in both mother and baby). The benefit of treating hypertension may outweigh any risks to the baby.

It may not be safe to breastfeed while using this medicine. Ask your doctor about any risk.

Torsemide is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.

Relate drugs

How to use Torsemide

Usual Adult Dose for Edema:

Edema Associated with Congestive Heart Failure:IV and oral: 10 to 20 mg once a day; if diuresis remains inadequate, titrate upward by approximately doubling the dose until desired response is achieved; single doses higher than 200 mg have not been adequately studied.Edema Associated with Renal Disease:IV and oral: 20 mg once a day; if diuresis remains inadequate, titrate upward by approximately doubling the dose until desired response is achieved; single doses higher than 200 mg have not been adequately studied.Edema Associated with Hepatic Disease:IV and oral: 5 to 10 mg once a day together with an aldosterone antagonist or a potassium-sparing diuretic; if diuresis remains inadequate, titrate upward by approximately doubling the dose until desired response is achieved; single doses higher than 40 mg have not been adequately studied.Comments: Chronic use of any diuretic in hepatic disease has not been studied adequately.

Usual Adult Dose for Hypertension:

5 mg orally once a day; if diuresis remains inadequate after 4 to 6 weeks, titrate up to 10 mg orally once a day; if diuresis remains inadequate with 10 mg, an additional antihypertensive should be added.

Warnings

You should not use torsemide if you are allergic to sulfa drugs or if you are unable to urinate.

What other drugs will affect Torsemide

Tell your doctor about all your current medicines. Many drugs can affect torsemide, especially:

any other diuretic medicine;

cholestyramine, lithium, phenytoin, probenecid, rifampin, warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven);

an intravenous (IV) antibiotic medicine;

antifungal medicine--fluconazole, miconazole;

heart or blood pressure medicine--amiodarone, dronedarone, enalapril, irbesartan, lisinopril, losartan, olmesartan, valsartan, and others;

NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)--ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), celecoxib, diclofenac, indomethacin, meloxicam, and others;

salicylates--aspirin, Nuprin Backache Caplet, Kaopectate, KneeRelief, Pamprin Cramp Formula, Pepto-Bismol, Tricosal, Trilisate, and others or

steroid medicine--dexamethasone, oxandrolone, prednisone, and others.

This list is not complete and many other drugs may affect torsemide. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Disclaimer

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