Aldactone 25mg

Contains the active ingredient :Spironolactone, which is a type of medicine called a

potassium-sparing-diuretic. Diuretics-are sometimes referred to as '‘water table'ts’

Spironolactone-works by blocking the actions of a hormone in the body called-aldosterone. This hormone is produced by glands found above the kidneys called the

adrenal-glands. Aldosterone-acts in the kidneys, where it is involved in controlling the

balance of salt and water in the body.

Blocking the action of-aldosterone causes the kidneys to increase the amount of

salts such as sodium that they filter out of the blood and into the urine. When these

salts are filtered out of the blood by the kidneys, water is also drawn alongside.

Spironolactone-therefore increases the amount of water that is drawn out of the-blood and into the urine. This helps excess fluid to be removed from the body.

There are many conditions that can lead to an accumulation of fluid in the body

(oedema). These include heart-failure (where the fluid may build up in the lungs,

causing breathlessness, or the ankles, causing swollen-ankles), liver-cirrhosis (where

fluid may build up in the abdominal-cavity, causing a swollen-abdomen) and certain

types of kidney-disease. Spironolactone-is used to remove excess fluid associated

with these conditions and thus relieve the related-symptoms.

Most other diuretics-cause the amount of potassium in the-blood to drop.

Spironolactone-doesn't have this effect, and so is called a 'potassium-sparing'-diuretic. It is usually used in combination with other-diuretics to increase the removal

of fluid-from the body, while preventing potassium levels from falling too low.

Spironolactone-is also used in the treatment of a condition called Conn's syndrome,

in which there is excess production of-aldosterone by the adrenal-glands. By

opposing the action of-aldosterone, spironolactone-relieves the symptoms-of this

syndrome, which include fluid-retention, high blood-pressure and low levels of

potassium in the-blood.

What is it used for?

Congestive-heart failure.

Liver-cirrhosis where there is associated fluid-retention (oedema) and collection of

fluid in the abdominal-cavity (ascites).

Progressively-worsening fluid accumulation in the abdominal-cavity (malignant

ascites).

A kidney-disorder called nephrotic-syndrome, in which there is-inflammation in the

kidneys-that results in too much fluid in the body, causing swelling, weight gain and

high-blood-pressure.

Syndrome in which there is excess production of-aldosterone by the adrenal-glands

(primary-hyperaldosteronism or Conn's syndrome).

Size: 100 tablets/box