Common Diuretics Used in the Preterm and Term Infant

Abstract

Diuretics are administered routinely to sick neonates for the treatment of multiple clinical disorders, including edema, hypertension, congestive heart failure/cardiovascular disease, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and renal dysfunction. Choosing the safest and most effective regimen of diuretic therapy for both the term and preterm neonate requires thoughtful consideration of several factors. Such factors include an understanding of each drug’s pharmacologic principles and safety and efficacy profiles as well as outside considerations such as clinically relevant drug interactions and available formulations, among others. This article focuses on the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of each of the most commonly employed diuretics in the neonatal population and the factors that may influence the infant’s overall response to therapy.