Furosemide (Lasix) Nursing Considerations
Included In This Lesson
Study Tools For Furosemide (Lasix) Nursing Considerations
Outline
Generic Name
Furosemide
Trade Name
Lasix
Indication
Edema, hypertension
Action
Prevents reabsorption of sodium and chloride in the kidneys, increase excretion of
water, sodium, chloride, magnesium, potassium
Therapeutic Class
Diuretics
Pharmacologic Class
Loop diuretics
Nursing Considerations
• Use caution with liver disease
• May cause hypotension, dry mouth, excessive urination, dehydration,
electrolyte abnormalities, metabolic alkalosis
• Hypokalemia may lead to increase risk of digoxin toxicity
• Monitor renal panel
• Use caution with other antihypertensives
• Causes arthritic symptoms/do not administer with aminoglycosides due to
ototoxicity
Transcript
Hi guys, let’s talk about Furosemide, also known as Lasix. This is an oral medication, but it also comes in other forms like IV or injection, as you can see here in the picture. So remember when we about the therapeutic class of a drug, this is how the drug works in the body. While the pharmacologic class is the chemical effect. So for furosemide, the therapeutic class is a diuretic while the pharmacologic class is a loop diuretic. Furosemide prevents the absorption of sodium and chloride in the kidneys and increases the excretion of water, sodium, chloride, magnesium, and potassium, specifically working in the loop of Henle, which is pictured here, and is why it’s indicated for edema and hypertension. So, because Furosemide increases the excretion of water along with other electrolytes, we see some side effects that are related to this things like hypotension, dry mouth, excessive urination, and with this sometimes also comes dehydration.
So let’s take a look at a few nursing considerations for Furosemide. Use caution in patients with liver disease and also with the use of other hypertensives. Furosemide may cause electrolyte abnormalities. In fact, hypokalemia can increase the risk of digoxin toxicity. Furosemide can also cause metabolic alkalosis and arthritic symptoms. Be sure that while the patient is on this therapy, their kidney function is being monitored with renal panels, and do not administer Furosemide with aminoglycosides because of the risk of ototoxicity. And finally, teach the patient to take as directed, and it is probably best to advise them to not take at bedtime as this can create sleep disturbances for the patient having to get up and use the restroom. It is common that Furosemideis cautioned in patients who have Sulfa allergies; however, sulfur allergies are generally from sulfur antibiotics and there’s actually no evidence that there’s cross-reactivity with Sulfa antibiotics and non-antibiotic sulfonamides. So just ask your patient, which type of Sulfa medication created a reaction for them or an allergy before deciding if it’s safe to give this patient Furosemide because most likely it is safe. That’s it for Furosemide or Lasix. Now go out and be your best self today and as always happy nursing.
Katies NCLEX
Concepts Covered:
- Test Taking Strategies
- Medication Administration
- Adult
- Emergency Care of the Cardiac Patient
- Microbiology
- Anxiety Disorders
- Depressive Disorders
- Nervous System
- Gastrointestinal Disorders
- Fundamentals of Emergency Nursing
- Dosage Calculations
- Understanding Society
- Circulatory System
- Concepts of Pharmacology
- Studying
- Newborn Care
- Adulthood Growth and Development
- Respiratory Disorders
- Pregnancy Risks
- Neurological
- Postpartum Complications
- Substance Abuse Disorders
- Bipolar Disorders
- Learning Pharmacology
- Psychotic Disorders
- Prenatal Concepts
- Tissues and Glands
- Factors Influencing Community Health
- Concepts of Population Health
- Community Health Overview
- Developmental Considerations
- Communication
- Legal and Ethical Issues
- Cardiovascular
- Emergency Care of the Neurological Patient
- Emergency Care of the Respiratory Patient
- Emergency Care of the Trauma Patient
- Delegation
- Multisystem
- Health & Stress
- Childhood Growth and Development
- Prenatal and Neonatal Growth and Development
- Trauma-Stress Disorders
- Developmental Theories
- Concepts of Mental Health
- Gastrointestinal
- Newborn Complications
- Labor Complications
- Fetal Development
- Terminology
- Labor and Delivery
- Postpartum Care
- Prefixes
- Suffixes
- Proteins
- Statistics
- Med Term Basic
- Med Term Whole
- Cardiac Disorders
- Preoperative Nursing
- Intraoperative Nursing
- Vascular Disorders
- Noninfectious Respiratory Disorder
- Upper GI Disorders
- Central Nervous System Disorders – Brain
- Shock
- Immunological Disorders
- Postoperative Nursing
- Perioperative Nursing Roles
- Hematologic Disorders
- Disorders of Pancreas
- Neurological Trauma
- Neurological Emergencies
- Musculoskeletal Trauma
- EENT Disorders
- Peripheral Nervous System Disorders
- Respiratory Emergencies
- Shock
- Disorders of the Posterior Pituitary Gland
- Endocrine
- Disorders of the Thyroid & Parathyroid Glands
- Liver & Gallbladder Disorders
- Lower GI Disorders
- Respiratory
- Acute & Chronic Renal Disorders
- Disorders of the Adrenal Gland
- Documentation and Communication
- Oncology Disorders
- Female Reproductive Disorders
- Cognitive Disorders
- Renal Disorders
- Male Reproductive Disorders
- Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Infectious Respiratory Disorder
- Integumentary Disorders
- Urinary Disorders
- Integumentary Disorders
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Disorders of Thermoregulation
- Basics of NCLEX
- Integumentary Important Points
- Urinary System
- Neurologic and Cognitive Disorders
- Central Nervous System Disorders – Spinal Cord
- Renal and Urinary Disorders
- Respiratory System
- Infectious Disease Disorders
- EENT Disorders
- Eating Disorders
- Personality Disorders
- Psychological Emergencies
- Somatoform Disorders
- Prioritization
- Hematologic Disorders
- Cardiovascular Disorders
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
- Oncologic Disorders
- Behavior
- Emotions and Motivation
- Growth & Development
- Intelligence and Language
- Psychological Disorders
- State of Consciousness
- Basics of Sociology
- Note Taking
- Basics of Human Biology