Can water pills cause low blood pressure

Q: Who should not take water pills?

Dont take diuretics if you have trouble urinating, or if youre allergic to the active or inactive ingredients found in the medication. Ask your doctor if you should avoid or be cautious using diuretics if you: Have severe liver or kidney disease. Are dehydrated.

Also known as “water pills,” these drugs rid the body of extra water and lower blood pressure.

Table of Contents Show

Common Side Effects
Drug Interactions
Can taking water pills lower your blood pressure?
What are the side effects of taking water pills?
What is the #1 most common side effect of diuretics?
Who should not take water pills?

Diuretics are a class of medications commonly known as "water pills."

They're prescribed to treat high blood pressure; swelling of the feet, ankles, and lower legs and fluid in the lungs caused by heart failure; fluid buildup in the abdomen caused by liver damage or certain cancers; and eye conditions such as glaucoma.

Other conditions that may be treated with diuretics include diabetes insipidus, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), kidney stones, male-pattern baldness in women, and osteoporosis.

There are several different classes of diuretics, each of which works differently in the kidneys to help rid the body of extra water and salt.

Examples of diuretics include:

Loop diuretics, such as Lasix (furosemide), bumetanide, Demadex (torsemide), and Edecrin (ethacrynic acid)
Thiazide diuretics, like Microzide (hydrochlorothiazide), chlorthalidone, and Zaroxolyn (metolazone)
Potassium-sparing diuretics, including Aldactone (spironolactone), Inspra (eplerenone), Dyrenium (triamterene), and Midamor (amiloride)
Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors such as Diamox (acetazolamide) — mainly used for glaucoma and altitude sickness

Don't take diuretics if you have trouble urinating, or if you're allergic to the active or inactive ingredients found in the medication.

Ask your doctor if you should avoid or be cautious using diuretics if you:

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
Are allergic to sulfa drugs, like Septra and Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole with trimethoprim)
Are already taking drugs that can damage hearing, like the cancer drugs Platinol (cisplatin) and carboplatin; salicylates like aspirin and Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate); or aminoglycosides like amikacin and gentamin

Common Side Effects

It's not uncommon to experience any of the following while taking a diuretic:

Dizziness or headache
Thirstiness
Rash or itching
Higher blood glucose or cholesterol level
Changes in your sexual function or menstrual period
Muscle cramps (loop diuretics)
Ringing in the ears (loop diuretics)
Low sodium, potassium, and/or magnesium levels in the blood (loop diuretics)
High potassium levels in the blood (potassium-sparing diuretics)
Enlarged breasts in men (Aldactone and Inspra)

Drug Interactions

Many drugs can interact with diuretics, but double-check with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure you're not taking more than one diuretic at a time (unless your doctor has told you otherwise).

Don't take loop diuretics if you're taking Tikosyn (dofetilide).

Make sure your potassium is carefully monitored if you're using digoxin and a loop or thiazide diuretic.

Dosages of insulin and oral diabetes medications may need to be adjusted while using diuretics.

Ask your doctor about diuretics if you're taking the mood stabilizer Lithobid (lithium), or if you're taking any medication that may lead you to feel dehydrated.

“Water pills”, or diuretics, are often used to treat high blood pressure. While they are very effective in managing blood pressure, however, they can also have serious side effects. These side effects are directly linked to how diuretics work.

As anyone who has taken them knows, diuretics increase the amount of water that the body excretes. By lowering the amount of fluid in the body, diuretics lower blood pressure. However, as fluid output increases, the kidney’s ability to regulate the balance of electrolytes, including sodium and potassium, can also be affected. If the level of sodium or potassium in the body gets too low, or too high, it can cause serious side effects.

Some of the symptoms of a potassium imbalance include:

- Bloating and constipation
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Weakness and Fatigue
- Muscle cramps
- Muscle aches and stiffness
- Tingling and Numbness
- Heart palpitations
- Chest pain
- Irregular Heartbeat
- Difficulty Breathing
- Collapse

Symptoms of a sodium imbalance include:

- Excessive thirst
- Lethargy
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headache
- Confusion
- Drowsiness and fatigue
- Muscle weakness and cramps
- Seizures
- Coma

When taking a diuretic, it’s important to take your medication as directed. It’s also important to be aware of the potential side effects.

Sometimes symptoms of a sodium or potassium imbalance can appear slowly, over time. Sometimes they appear suddenly and can be severe, or life-threatening. When this occurs, it’s important to seek emergency treatment immediately.

Can taking water pills lower your blood pressure?

Diuretics, sometimes called water pills, help rid your body of salt (sodium) and water. Most of these medicines help your kidneys release more sodium into your urine. The sodium helps remove water from your blood, decreasing the amount of fluid flowing through your veins and arteries. This reduces blood pressure.

What are the side effects of taking water pills?

Not surprisingly, one of the most common side effects of taking water pills is frequent urination. Other possible side effects include lightheadedness, fatigue, bowel changes, and muscle cramps. Men may occasionally experience erectile dysfunction.

What is the #1 most common side effect of diuretics?

Two of the commonest side effects are mild hypovolaemia, when any diuretic is used, and mild hypokalaemia when the non-potassium-sparing diuretics, such as thiazides and frusemide are used.

Who should not take water pills?

Don't take diuretics if you have trouble urinating, or if you're allergic to the active or inactive ingredients found in the medication. Ask your doctor if you should avoid or be cautious using diuretics if you: Have severe liver or kidney disease. Are dehydrated.