Furosemide is a loop diuretic medication used to treat fluid build-up due to heart failure, liver scarring, or kidney disease. It may also be used for the treatment of high blood pressure. It can be taken by injection into a vein or by mouth. When taken by mouth, it typically begins working within an hour, while intravenously, it typically begins working within five minutes.Common side effects include feeling lightheaded with standing, ringing in the ears, and sensitivity to light. Potentially serious side effects include electrolyte abnormalities, low blood pressure, and hearing loss. Blood tests are recommended regularly for those on treatment. Furosemide is a type of loop diuretic that works by decreasing the reabsorption of sodium by the kidneys. Common side effects of furosemide injection include hypokalemia (low potassium level), hypotension (low blood pressure), and dizziness.Furosemide was patented in 1959 and approved for medical use in 1964. It is on the World Health Organizations List of Essential Medicines. In the United States, it is available as a generic medication. In 2020, it was the nineteenth most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 26 million prescriptions. In 2020/21 it was the twentieth most prescribed medication in England. It is on the World Anti-Doping Agencys banned drug list due to concerns that it may mask other drugs. It has also been used in race horses for the treatment and prevention of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage.
More than 95% of the drug is bound to protein – primarily albumin. Only free bendamustine is active. Elimination is biphasic with a half-life of 6–10 minutes and a terminal half-life of approximately 30 minutes. It is eliminated primarily through the kidneys. History
Bendamustine was first made in 1963 by Ozegowski and Krebs in East Germany (the former German Democratic Republic). Until 1990 it was available only in East Germany. East German researchers found that it was useful for treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Hodgkins disease, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, multiple myeloma and lung cancer. Bendamustine received its first marketing approval in Germany, where it is marketed under the tradename Ribomustin, by Astellas Pharma GmbHs licensee, Mundipharma International Corporation Limited. It is indicated as a single-agent or in combination with other anti-cancer agents for indolent non-Hodgkins lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. SymBio Pharmaceuticals Ltd. holds exclusive rights to develop and market bendamustine HCl in Japan and selected Asia Pacific Rim countries. In March 2008, Cephalon received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration to market bendamustine in the US, where it is sold under the tradename Treanda, for treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.In October 2008, the FDA granted further approval to market Treanda for the treatment of indolent B-cell non-Hodgkins lymphoma that has progressed during or within six months of treatment with rituximab or a rituximab-containing regimen. Research
It is also being studied for the treatment of sarcoma. It is also being investigated in phase II trials for the non-cancer treatment of AL amyloidosis. References
External links
"Bendamustine".