Agent	Usual Daily Dose {mg)*	Precautions and Special Considerations	Side Effects
Thiazides and related sulfonamide diuretics
Bendroflumethiazide (Naturetin)	2.5-5	May be ineffective in renal failure except for indapamide and metolazone; hypokalemia increases digitalis toxicity; an increase in blood levels of lithium. Decrease in urinary calcium excretion. May precipitate acute gout.	Hypokalemia,hypomagnesemia, hyperuricemia, glucose intolerance, insulin may cause resistance, hypercholesterolemia, increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercalcemia, sexual dysfunction, weakness, photosensitivity {except for ethacrynic acid), leukopenia, allergic skin rash.
Benzthiazide (Exna)	12.5-50
Chlorothiazide (Diuril)	125-500**
Chlorthalidone (Hygroton)	12.5-50
Hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDiuril, Esidrix)	12.5-50
Hydroflumethiazide {Saluron, Diucardin)	12.5-50
Indapamide {Lozol)	2.5-5
Methylchlothiazide {Enduron)	2.5-5
Metolazone {Zaroxolyn)	2.5-5
Metolazone {Mykrox)	0.5-1
Poly thiazide {Renese)	1-4
Quinethazone {Hydromox)	25-100
Trichlormethiazide	1-4
Loop diuretics***
Bumetanide {Bumex)	0.5-5**	Effective in chronic renal failure. Increase urinary calcium excretion.	As above, except for hypercalcemia.
Ethacrynic acid {Edecrin)	25-100**
Furosemide {Lasix)	20-320**
Potassium-sparing agents
Amiloride {Midamor)	5-10	Danger of hyperkalemia in patients receiving a potassium supplement, a potassium-containing salt substitute or an ACE inhibitor, and in patients with renal failure; can cause renal failure in patients treated with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (indomethacin and triamterene). May increase blood levels of lithium. Spironolactone interferes with digoxin immunoassay. Danger of renal calculi {triamterene).	Hyperkalemia for all three agents. For spironolactone only: gynecomastia, mastodynia, gastrointestinal irritation, drowsiness, lethargy, irregular menses or postmenopausal bleeding, hirsutism.
Spironolactone {Aldactone)	25-100**
Triamterene {Dyrenium)	50-150**
Combination Thiazide and Potassium-Sparing Diuretic Preparations
Hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg + triamterene 37.5 mg (Maxzide 25)	1/2-2	Hydrochlorothiazide 50 mg+ triamterene 75 mg {Maxzide50)	1/2-1
Hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg + triamterene 50 mg (Dyazide)	1-2	Hydrochlorothiazide 50 mg + amiloride 5 mg {Moduretic)	1/2-1
Hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg + spironolactone 25 mg (Aldactazide 25)	1-2	Hydrochlorothiazide 50 mg + spironolactone 50mg {Aldactazide 50)	1/2-1
Special indications: Diuretics or beta blockers should be agents of choice for most patients with uncomplicated hypertension unless contraindicated, ineffective, unacceptable, or there are special indications for other agents {see text); especially indicated for black patients, elderly patients, obese patients, congestive heart failure, chronic renal failure (loop diuretics), resistant hypertension, recurrent renal calculi {calcium) {non-loop diuretics). Contraindications: History of hypersensitivity to diuretics, hypovolemia, hyponatremia, hypochloremia, hypomagnesemia, uncontrolled gout, severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, asymmetric septal hypertrophy (idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis), preeclampsia, and eclampsia. Advantages: Effective in reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, effective in ~50% of mild hypertensives, inexpensive, one dose daily, easy to titrate, well tolerated, enhance potency of all other agents, no pseudotolerance, reduce total peripheral resistance. Disadvantages: Metabolic side effects: {K+ -I., Mg2+ -I., urate i, Ca2+ i, Na+ -I., CI- -I., glucose i, 1ipids i). *The dosage range may differ slightly from recommended dosage in Physicians' Desk Reference or package insert. Given once daily unless otherwise indicated. **This drug is usually given in divided doses twice daily. *** Larger doses of loop diuretics may be requi~edin patients with renal failure.