Diuretics
Medication class detail with safety cues and nursing action focus.
Diuretics
Examples: furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide, spironolactone, mannitol
Mechanism
Moves fluid out through the kidneys; the exact electrolyte effect depends on the class.
Used for
- Fluid overload
- Heart failure
- Hypertension
- Increased ICP for mannitol
Side effects
- Dehydration
- Hypotension
- Electrolyte shifts
- Ototoxicity risk with loop diuretics
Nursing actions
- Track weight, intake and output, blood pressure, and electrolytes.
- Give early in the day when possible to reduce nighttime voiding.
- Know potassium-wasting versus potassium-sparing effects.
Hold / question cues
- Severe dehydration
- Critical potassium abnormality
- Symptomatic hypotension
Antidote / reversal
- No routine class-specific antidote or reversal agent is seeded for this class; hold/question unsafe doses, support ABCs, notify the provider, and use facility or poison-control guidance for toxicity.
NCLEX pearl
- Loop loses K; spironolactone spares K; mannitol pulls water.
Individual drug cards
Low potassium plus digoxin raises dysrhythmia risk.
Hypokalemia is the classic thiazide safety cue.
Spironolactone spares potassium, so high K is the danger.
New crackles during mannitol can mean pulmonary edema.
Related study cards
Shows conditions, glossary terms, Drive entities, and source-linked cards connected to this medication class.
Use this medication class topic as a source-linked NCLEX review card for priority assessment, medication safety, client teaching, and first nursing action decisions.
Low potassium plus digoxin raises dysrhythmia risk.
Hypokalemia is the classic thiazide safety cue.
New crackles during mannitol can mean pulmonary edema.
Spironolactone spares potassium, so high K is the danger.
Low urine output plus rising creatinine.
Congenital heart disease plus poor feeding.
New dyspnea, edema, S3, weight gain.