Diuretics, specific agents spironolactone

Hydrochlorothiazide has its proposed site of action at the distal convoluted tubule or, more specifically, at the early portion of the distal tubule. Hydrochlorothiazide inhibits the reabsorption of Na and Cl. It also promotes the reabsorption of Ca back into the blood, but inhibits the re absorption of Mg from the renal tubular fluid. The K-sparing diuretic agents (spironolactone, triamterene, and amiloride) have their site of action in the nephron at the late distal tubule and the collecting duct. These diuretic agents only cause a mild natriuretic effect... 

Many diuretic agents (loop diuretics, thiazides, amiloride, and triamterene) exert their effects on specific membrane transport proteins in renal tubular epithelial cells. Other diuretics exert osmotic effects that prevent water reabsorption (mannitol), inhibit enzymes (acetazolamide), or interfere with hormone receptors in renal epithelial cells (spironolactone). 

The addition of aldosterone antagonists can rednce morbidity and mortality in systolic heart failure. Spironolactone has been studied in severe heart failure and has shown benefit in addition to diuretic and ACE inhibitor therapy. Eplerenone, the newest aldosterone antagonist, has been smdied in patients with symptomatic systolic heart failure within 3 to 14 days after an acute myocardial infarction in addition to a standard three-drug regimen. Collectively, both these agents should be considered in the specific heart failure population smdied but only in addition to diuretics, ACE/ARBs, and /8-blockers. 

The benefits of aldosterone antagonists in heart failure appear to be due largely to their neurohormonal inhibition, namely, inhibition of aldosterone s actions in the heart. Specifically, the benefits are believed to be due to the ability of these agents to inhibit aldosterone-mediated cardiac fibrosis and thus ventricular remodeling. And while spironolactone historically has been viewed as a diuretic, this is believed to contribute little to its benefits in heart failure in part because the doses used have minimal diuretic effect. Thus, as with ACE inhibitors and /S-blockers, the data on aldosterone antagonists also support the neurohormonal model of heart failure. 

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