Acetazolamide

Overview

Acetazolamide is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor used to treat edema from heart failure or medications, certain types of epilepsy, and glaucoma.

Mechanism of Action

The anticonvulsant activity of Acetazolamide may depend on a direct inhibition of carbonic anhydrase in the CNS, which decreases carbon dioxide tension in the pulmonary alveoli, thus increasing arterial oxygen tension. The diuretic effect depends on the inhibition of carbonic anhydrase, causing a reduction in the availability of hydrogen ions for active transport in the renal tubule lumen. This leads to alkaline urine and an increase in the excretion of bicarbonate, sodium, potassium, and water.

Indications

For adjunctive treatment of: edema due to congestive heart failure; drug-induced edema; centrencephalic epilepsies; chronic simple (open-angle) glaucoma

• Acute angle-closure glaucoma
• Edema
• Familial periodic paralysis
• Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures
• Metabolic Alkalosis
• Open Angle Glaucoma (OAG)
• Other and unspecified effects of high altitude
• Cystine renal calculi
• Drug-induced edema
• Nonuveitic secondary glaucoma
• Salicylate intoxication