fludrocortisone vs furosemide

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Side-by-side comparison of fludrocortisone and furosemide. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

Amphotericin B or potassium-depleting diuretics (benzothiadiazines and related drugs, ethacrynic acid and furosemide) – enhanced hypokalemia.

Drug Class
fludrocortisone Mineralocorticoid
furosemide Loop Diuretic
Type
fludrocortisone Prescription
furosemide Prescription
Summary
fludrocortisone

Fludrocortisone is a medicine that helps your body balance salt and fluids. It is used when your adrenal glands don't make enough of certain hormones.

furosemide

Furosemide is a water pill (diuretic). It helps your body get rid of extra water and salt.

What It Treats
fludrocortisone

This medicine is used to treat Addison's disease and salt-losing adrenogenital syndrome. These conditions happen when your adrenal glands don't make enough of certain hormones. Fludrocortisone helps your body hold onto salt and water, which is important for these conditions.

furosemide

This medicine treats swelling (edema) from heart failure, liver problems, or kidney disease. It can also treat high blood pressure. Furosemide is helpful when you need a stronger diuretic.

How It Works
fludrocortisone

Fludrocortisone is a mineralocorticoid. It works by helping your body to retain sodium and water. This helps to increase blood volume and blood pressure.

furosemide

Furosemide works in your kidneys. It helps your kidneys remove more salt and water from your blood. This lowers the amount of fluid in your body and lowers blood pressure.

Common Side Effects
fludrocortisone
  • High blood pressure
  • Swelling in your hands, feet, or ankles
  • Enlarged heart
  • Heart failure
  • Loss of potassium
furosemide
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Blurred vision
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
FAERS Reports
fludrocortisone
  • Feeling tired 146
  • Falling down 144
  • Feeling lightheaded 135
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 129
  • Death 126
furosemide
  • Dyspnoea 29,104
  • Fatigue 20,393
  • Diarrhoea 19,937
  • Nausea 18,692
  • Acute Kidney Injury 18,530
Serious Warnings
fludrocortisone

This medicine may cause you to retain too much sodium and water, leading to high blood pressure, swelling, and heart problems. Tell your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms. This medicine can also interact with other medicines, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medicines you are taking.

furosemide

Furosemide can cause you to lose too much fluid and electrolytes. This can lead to dehydration, low blood pressure, and kidney problems. Your doctor should check your blood regularly while you are taking this medicine.

Pregnancy
fludrocortisone

Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before taking this medicine. It is not known if this medicine will harm your unborn baby. It is also not known if this medicine passes into breast milk.

furosemide

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Furosemide may not be safe during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medicine while breastfeeding.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This fludrocortisone vs furosemide Comparison

fludrocortisone is classified in the Mineralocorticoid drug class, while furosemide sits within the Loop Diuretic class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, fludrocortisone has 680 submissions while furosemide has 106,656. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to both drugs cause your body to lose potassium through your urine, which can lead to dangerously low levels of this important mineral.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for fludrocortisone or furosemide.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.