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Pharmacy & Pharmacology vocabulary · Drug Classes

Diuretic

Meaning in pharmacy & pharmacology, with examples

/ˌdaɪəˈrɛtɪk/nounCommon term

In pharmacy & pharmacology, diuretic means: A medicine that makes the kidneys remove more salt and water from the body, used for high blood pressure, heart failure and fluid build-up (oedema).

In Turkish: diüretik, idrar söktürücü

How it is used

Main types are loop diuretics (furosemide), thiazides (bendroflumethiazide, hydrochlorothiazide) and potassium-sparing diuretics (spironolactone). British patients call them 'water tablets'. Pharmacists explain the best time of day to take them and watch for changes in potassium and kidney function.

Example sentences

  1. Most people take their diuretic in the morning so they don't have to get up at night.

  2. Furosemide is a loop diuretic often used in heart failure.

Common collocations

  • loop diuretic
  • thiazide diuretic
  • potassium-sparing diuretic
  • water tablets
  • antihypertensiveA medicine used to lower high blood pressure, such as an ACE inhibitor, an angiotensin receptor blocker, a calcium channel blocker or a thiazide diuretic.
  • eliminationThe removal of a drug from the body through metabolism and excretion, mainly by the kidneys into urine and by the liver into bile.
  • side effectAn effect of a medicine that is not the main reason for taking it; most side effects are unwanted, such as nausea, drowsiness or a headache.
  • drug interactionA change in the effect of a medicine caused by another medicine, a food, a drink or a disease, which can make the medicine weaker, stronger or more harmful.

More terms: Drug Classes

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.