Etacrynic acid (INN) or ethacrynic acid (USAN), trade name Edecrin, is a loop diuretic used to treat high blood pressure and the swelling caused by diseases like congestive heart failure, liver failure, and kidney failure. A con with etacyrnic acid compared to the other loop diuretic drugs such as furosemide is that it has a significantly steep dose-response curve, which means the drugs dosing is very important as small variance in dose can cause a significant difference in the biological response. Unlike the other loop diuretics, etacrynic acid is not a sulfonamide and thus use is not contraindicated in those with sulfa allergies. If a patient with sulfa allergies is in need of a loop diuretic, it is more likely for the physician to prescribe etacyrnic acid for this reason. Structural features
Ethacrynic acid is a phenoxyacetic acid derivative, which means it contains a ketone group and a methylene group. Medical use
Ethacrynic acid is a diuretic that is used to treat edema when a stronger agent is required. It is available as a pill or injected form. The pill is used to treat edema associated with congestive heart failure, cirrhosis and renal disease, accumulation of liquid in the belly associated with cancer or edema,  and management of hospitalized children with congenital heart disease or nephrotic syndrome. The injected form is used to rapidly remove water from the body when needed – for example in acute pulmonary edema – or when a person cannot take the medicine in pill form.
Distal spinal muscular atrophy type 1 (DSMA1), also known as spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress type 1 (SMARD1), is a rare neuromuscular disorder involving death of motor neurons in the spinal cord which leads to a generalised progressive atrophy of body muscles. The condition is caused by a genetic mutation in the IGHMBP2 gene and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. There is no known cure to DSMA1, and research of the disorder is still in early stages due to low incidence and high mortality rates. Signs and symptoms
Usually, the first respiratory symptoms are shortness of breath (dyspnea) and paradoxical respirations which then escalate within the first few months of life to diaphragmatic paralysis. The symptoms of diaphragmatic paralysis come on very rapidly and without warning, and the patient is often rushed to a hospital where they are placed on a ventilator for respiratory support. Due to the severe nature of diaphragmatic paralysis, the patient eventually needs continuous ventilation support to survive. Continuous ventilation, however, may in itself cause damage to the anatomy of the lungs.In addition to diaphragmatic paralysis, other issues may arise: as the name suggests, the distal limbs are most affected with symptoms of weakness, restricting mobility due to (near-)paralysis of the distal limbs as well as the head and neck. Also, dysfunction of the peripheral nerves and the autonomic nervous system may occur. Due to these dysfunctions, the patients have been shown to suffer from excessive sweating and irregular heartbeat.