Have you seen, heard, or used diuretics before? If yes, then you must have known that they are medications that may help in increasing the level of water and salt banished out of the body through the urine. These medications are prescribed to help in treating high blood pressure. However, they are also beneficial for some other conditions. However, how effective diuretics for gout really is? Is it really beneficial for the condition, or is it the other way around? Give this article a read and know.
Diuretics…
Diuretics are medications that are used in ridding the body of extra salt or fluid. People who have high blood pressure, swollen tissues, heart failure, as well as kidney conditions frequently use diuretics in treating the aforementioned conditions. Moreover, the excessive amount of fluid in the body actually makes it hard for the heart to work properly and can actually make breathing difficult. The prescription diuretics are commonly known as the water pills. The first effects of these are to upsurge the urination. There is no way that you should use this in losing weight. Remember that!
Furthermore, diuretics are a type of drugs that have already been beneficial in increasing the serum urate levels. The medication actually works in reducing the fluid volume of the blood hence lowering the blood pressure. This is through having lesser blood that flows into the blood vessels and arteries. Due to the fact that diuretics have the possibility of having fewer side effects that some other anti-hypertensive medications, doctors often prescribe them more frequently. Diuretics cause you to produce more urine than the normal, to be able to flush out the excess fluid in the blood. Furthermore, they excite the kidneys in expelling more water via the urine.
What Diuretics does Help treat?
The most common condition that diuretics treat is high blood pressure. In fact, the drug helps in reducing the level of fluid in the blood vessels. This is what helps in lowering the blood pressure. Some other conditions that are also treated by diuretics include congestive heart failure. The medication helps in keeping the heart from pumping the blood effectively all throughout the body. this may lead to the fluid buildup in the body. The diuretics are beneficial in reducing the fluid buildup.
Types of Diuretics
There are three different types of diuretics medication, read on below to know them all.
Potassium-Sparring Diuretics
This particular type of diuretics helps reduce the fluid levels in the body, without causing you to lose potassium. This may be prescribed for those who are at risk of having low potassium levels. Remember, this does not reduce the blood pressure.
Some potassium-sparring diuretics include:
- Eplerenone
- Triamterene
- Spironolactone
- Amiloride
Loop Diuretics
This type of diuretics is frequently used in treating heart failure. Examples of which include the following:
- Ethacrynic acid
- Bumetanide
- Furosemide
- Torsemide
Thiazide Diuretics
The thiazides are the most common of all the prescribed diuretics. They are most frequently used in treating high blood pressure. They don’t just reduce the fluids in the body, they may also help in relaxing the blood vessels. Examples of which, include the following:
- Indapamide
- Metolazone
- Hydrochlorothiazide
- Chlorthalidone
- Chlorothiazide
Diuretics For Gout: Their connection
The possible connection between the sudden development of gout as well as the use of diuretics was first identified more than 25 years ago. However, the medical field is not sure if the diuretics or the hypertension is the main perpetrator.
Actually, one study suggests that taking diuretics may just increase the risk of acquiring gout. In fact, they say that taking diuretics or the so-called water pills may cause the development of secondary gout, not the primary ones. This secondary gout is more often diet related or hereditary. Usually, it is because of the fact that gout only happens after taking various medications like diuretics in treating any other type of diseases or conditions.
What the diuretics do is that they just remove the excess water from the body. however, this causes the uric acid level to upsurge. If you never experienced gout attack before, and suddenly uses diuretics to treat high blood pressure, there is a high risk that you may develop gout. If it does, then you need to discuss it with your doctor. This is for them to advise you to change your medication to some other types of anti-hypertensive medications, like calcium channel blockers, which don’t lessen the bodily fluids.
If you are already taking diuretics and suffering from gout at the same time, the drug may increase the risk of developing more gout attacks. You will then get a prescription for your doctor to take various medications to ease the gout attack. These medications may include NSAIDs, probenecid, colchicine, and allopurinol to remove the uric acid before it crystallizes and cause a tender gout flare-up.
It’s important to get the uric acid tested to make sure that you get it down to about 5mg/dL or much lower.