Trichlormethiazide ( INN, currently being sold under the brand names of Achletin, Diu-Hydrin and Triflumen) is a diuretic with properties similar to those of hydrochlorothiazide. It is usually administered for the treatment of oedema (including that which is associated with

heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, a ...

, hepatic cirrhosis and

corticosteroid Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex of vertebrates, as well as the synthetic analogues of these hormones. Two main classes of corticosteroids, glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, are involv ...

therapy) and

hypertension Hypertension (HTN or HT), also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms. Long-term high bl ...

. In veterinary medicine, trichlormethiazide can be combined with dexamethasone to be used on horses with mild swelling of

distal Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position pro ...

limbs and general bruising. As a diuretic (in particular a thiazide), trichlormethiazide encourages water loss from the body. Trichlormethiazide works by inhibiting Na⁺/Cl⁻ ion reabsorption from the

tubules of the kidneys. In addition, trichlormethiazide increases the excretion of potassium.

Mechanism

Trichlormethiazide appears to block the active reabsorption of chloride and possibly sodium in the ascending loop of Henle. This results in excretion of sodium, chloride and water, and thus acts as a diuretic. Although trichlormethiazide is used to treat hypertension, its hypotensive effects may not necessarily be due to its role as a diuretic. Thiazides in general cause vasodilation by activating calcium-activated potassium channels in vascular smooth muscles and inhibiting various carbonic anhydrases in vascular tissue.

Synthesis

References

Thiazides Diuretics Benzothiadiazines Sulfonamides Organochlorides Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors {{cardiovascular-drug-stub