amiloride hydrochloride + furosemide at a glance
Medicine class
Loop diuretic plus potassium-sparing diuretic
Main role
Removes excess body fluid while reducing potassium loss from furosemide
Administration
Oral tablet swallowed with water; follow the prescription label
Practical effect
Increased and more urgent urination is expected, so plan access to a toilet
Monitoring
Blood pressure, kidney function, fluid status and blood salts, especially potassium and sodium, need monitoring
What is amiloride hydrochloride + furosemide used for?
UK-licensed uses are situations requiring prompt removal of excess fluid where conserving potassium is particularly important.
Fluid retention associated with congestive heart failure
Nephrosis
Fluid retention associated with corticosteroid or oestrogen therapy
Ascites associated with cirrhosis
How does amiloride hydrochloride + furosemide work?
Furosemide blocks salt reabsorption in the loop of Henle, increasing sodium, chloride and water excretion. Amiloride acts later in the kidney tubule to reduce potassium excretion, moderating potassium loss caused by furosemide.
amiloride hydrochloride + furosemide preparations and strengths
Tablet
Route: Oral
Strengths: 5 mg + 40 mg
How to take amiloride hydrochloride + furosemide
Take only as prescribed and swallow the tablet with water. Do not change or stop treatment without checking with the prescriber. Increased urination is expected. Sucralfate reduces furosemide absorption, so ask a pharmacist or prescriber how to separate these medicines.
Check how much fluid you should drink, as this depends on the condition being treated.
Contact a healthcare professional if vomiting, diarrhoea or fever creates a risk of dehydration.
Do not drive or use machinery if the tablets make you dizzy or unwell.
amiloride hydrochloride + furosemide side effects
Common or expected effects
- Passing urine more often
- Thirst or dry mouth
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Headache
- Muscle twitching
Get urgent medical advice
- Severe allergy, including breathing difficulty or facial or throat swelling
- Severe blistering, peeling or pustular skin reaction
- Marked dehydration or serious changes in sodium or potassium, causing confusion, fainting, weakness, cramps or an irregular heartbeat
- Kidney problems or greatly reduced urine output
- Severe abdominal or back pain suggesting pancreatitis
- Unusual bruising, recurrent infections or severe tiredness suggesting a blood-cell disorder
- New hearing loss or ringing in the ears
amiloride hydrochloride + furosemide in pregnancy
This combination is not generally recommended during pregnancy: experience with amiloride is limited and furosemide crosses the placenta. A specialist may use a diuretic when treating serious fluid accumulation is necessary; maternal condition and fetal growth then require monitoring. Do not stop prescribed treatment without medical advice.
amiloride hydrochloride + furosemide while breastfeeding
Breastfeeding should be avoided with the selected UK product. Furosemide enters breast milk and may reduce milk production, while transfer of amiloride into human milk is uncertain. Discuss alternatives with the prescriber.
amiloride hydrochloride + furosemide interactions
Important examples are listed below; tell your prescriber or pharmacist about all prescribed, purchased and herbal products.
Potassium supplements or other potassium-sparing diuretics
Can cause dangerous high potassium and are contraindicated with the selected product.
ACE inhibitors or angiotensin-II receptor blockers
May cause a marked blood-pressure fall, kidney impairment and increased potassium.
NSAIDs, including ibuprofen
May weaken the diuretic effect and increase risks of kidney injury and high potassium, particularly during dehydration.
Common questions about amiloride hydrochloride + furosemide
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Is amiloride hydrochloride + furosemide the same as co-amilofruse?
Yes. Co-amilofruse is the established name for this fixed combination of amiloride and furosemide.
Why are amiloride hydrochloride and furosemide combined?
Furosemide provides strong fluid removal, while amiloride reduces the amount of potassium lost in urine.
Can it cause high or low potassium?
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.