Diureticsare a class of medications that remove water and electrolytes from the body by increasing urination.
他们经常被用来治疗高血压, also known as high blood pressure. High blood pressure can be a contributing factor in the development of various forms of heart disease.
When used as a treatment for hypertension, prescription diuretics can be effective in helping to prevent heart attack and stroke in many people.
某些食物和草药也可能拥有利尿作用, but there’s less evidence of their effectiveness, and they shouldn’t be used in place of medical diuretics.
Diuretic medications typically prescribed for high blood pressure are grouped into three main types.
Thiazides
通常，高血压的第一线治疗，噻嗪类利尿剂可以单独使用，也可以与其他药物一起用于高血压。两种类型的噻嗪类利尿剂是metolazoneandhydrochlorothiazide。
Thiazide-like diuretics — which act like thiazide but may cost less — are also very popular. One of the most commonly prescribed thiazide-like diuretics ischlorthalidone。
循环利尿剂
循环利尿剂通过导致肾脏产生更多的尿液来清除多余的液体。
尽管通常不开处方为高血压的第一道防线，但循环利尿剂被批准用于治疗高血压，浮肿associated with congestive heart failure, liver cirrhosis, and renal disease.
A few loop diuretics include速尿(Lasix), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), and托西德(Demadex).
Potassium-sparing
钾的利尿剂鼓励人体摆脱液体和钠。但是，他们这样做而不会导致potassium，这是重要的养分。
Examples of potassium-sparing diuretics include triamterene (Dyrenium),eplerenone(Inspra), andspironolactone（醛酮）。
利尿剂的差异
Each of the three types of diuretic medication increases the amount of sodium you excrete through urination, but they affect different areas of your kidneys. Your kidneys are the filters through which toxins and excess fluids are flushed from your body.
When you take a diuretic medication, the drug signals to your kidneys that you need to get rid of more sodium. Water binds to the sodium and is then removed during urination, leaving you with a lower blood volume. The reduction in blood volume slows the rate at which blood flows through your blood vessels, helping to decrease your blood pressure.
噻嗪类和循环利尿剂也可能导致您除了水和钠外失去钾。Potassiumis an important mineral that maintains healthy fluid levels and regulates heart and muscle function. Your doctor may advise you to take a potassium supplement or to eat foods rich in the nutrient to combat low potassium levels.
富含钾的食物include:
- 香蕉
- 干杏子
- dark chocolate
- white beans
- salmon
- 烤土豆
- 日期
- cod
- 布鲁塞尔芽菜
- avocado
Potassium-sparing diuretics don’t pose as much of a threat to your potassium levels. However, they aren’t as effective in treating hypertension as the other types of diuretic medications, so they’re often prescribed along with other drugs.
尽管噻嗪类利尿剂是患有高血压相关心脏病的人的主要治疗方法，但您的医生将根据您的特定健康问题来量身定制药物方案。您的特定药物可能包含一种以上类型的利尿剂或剂量。
利尿剂通常对大多数人开处方都是安全的。
The most common side effect of diuretics is increased urination. Your potassium, glucose, and cholesterol levels may fluctuate depending on the type of diuretic you’re taking. Your doctor may run blood tests to measure your levels throughout treatment.
Other common side effects can include:
- 头痛
- 头晕或头晕
- increased sensitivityto sunlight
- 肌肉无力或抽筋
更严重的副作用可能包括：
- 减少性欲（或impotence）
- 心率不规则
- 电解质异常
- 严重的脱水
- 高钾血症(too much potassium in the blood, caused by potassium-sparing diuretics)
随着时间的推移，副作用可能会减少。如果您在服用利尿剂时遇到不舒服或长时间的副作用，请确保通知您的医生。您的医生可能会调整剂量或将您切换为其他类型的利尿剂药物。
某些食物和草药补充剂可能diuretic effect on your body, increasing your urine output.
但是，以下列出的例子都没有得到足够的研究来代替药物，并且在添加血压制度的任何天然替代方案之前与您的医生交谈很重要。
Taking a natural diuretic, even unintentionally through your normal diet, along with a pharmaceutical medication could lead to dehydration and other potentially harmful drug interactions.
姜根
通常被称为有助于恶心的根studiesshow thatginger(either in supplement form or via IV) may also help with hypertension.
However, more studies, and recommendations around dosage, have to be done before anything definitive can be stated.
芹菜
芹菜的对血压的积极影响已显示在animal studies，但是需要更多的人类试验才能知道这种蔬菜在人类高血压方面的真正有效性。
Also of note: Many studies looked at celery提炼, which can be much more potent than the vegetable itself.
蒜
蒜has been used in natural medicine for centuries, touted for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial abilities.学习also show that garlic may help with hypertension — although aged garlic extract seems to provide the most benefit.
Other foods and plants that have been shown to possibly have a positive effect on blood pressure include:
如果您患有高血压，您和您的医生将决定药物利尿剂是否适合您。
有许多不同种类的药物利尿剂，因此，如果不起作用，请不要担心！您的医生还可能决定制定包括多个利尿剂的治疗计划。
While there are some foods and herbs that may have diuretic effects, they can’t replace pharmaceutical medication. Talk with your doctor before adding any natural diuretic to your diet, as many of these can interact with other medications.
