Abstract

LINARES CASAS¹, Juan Carlos. Historical and contemporary perspectives of diuretics and their role in heart failure: At 50 years of the onset of furosemide Part 1. A bit of history. Insuf. card. [online]. 2015, vol.10, n.2, pp.92-103. ISSN 1852-3862.

The modern history of diuretics begins in 1919 when a medical student at the University of Vienna finds that mercurial injections effectively excreted water in syphilitic patients. For decades, these drugs were considered the main weapon to treat edema, despite its toxicity. Only by the end of the Second World War specialized and advanced studies were conducted, and it was then proved that sulfonamide derivatives had diuretic properties. So in 1950, acetazolamide, an inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase, appeared. A few years later, the present era of diuretics started since a group of researchers synthesized chlorothiazide, and this revolutionized the treatment of cardiac edema and hypertension. Finally, 50 years ago, in 1964, furosemide, a prototype of loop diuretics, was discovered. Furosemide works in the large segment of the loop of Henle and results in a profuse diuresis of water, sodium and chlorine, showing its usefulness even in cardiological emergencies such as acute pulmonary edema.

Keywords : Mercurial compounds;; Sulfanilamides; Chlorothiazide; Furosemide;; Spironolactone.

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