Ethacrynate: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Ethacrynate is a medicine sold in the U.S. under one brand, for ascites, edema and heart failure. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Treats (across its forms)
- Ascites, Edema and Heart Failure
- Available as
- Injectable · Powder
- Sold as
- Ethacrynate Sodium
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
How ethacrynate is dosed
From the FDA label for Ethacrynate Sodium (application ANDA208663). Other ethacrynate products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Dosage must be regulated carefully to prevent a more rapid or substantial loss of fluid or electrolyte than is indicated or necessary. The magnitude of' diuresis and natriuresis is largely dependent on the degree of fluid accumulation present in the patient. Similarly, the extent of potassium excretion is determined in large measure by the presence and magnitude of aldosteronism. Oral Use Ethacrynic Acid Tablets USP are available as 25 mg tablets. Dosage: To Initiate Diuresis In Adults : The smallest dose required to produce gradual weight loss (about 1 to 2 pounds per day) is recommended. Onset of diuresis usually occurs at 50 to 100 mg for adults. After diuresis has been achieved, the minimally effective dose (usually, from 50 to 200 mg daily) may be given on a continuous or intermittent dosage schedule. Dosage adjustments are usually in 25 to 50 mg increments to avoid derangement of water and electrolyte excretion. The patient should be weighed under standard conditions before and during the institution of diuretic therapy with this compound: The following schedule may be helpful in determining the smallest effective dose. Day 1 - 50 mg once daily after a meal Day 2 - 50 mg twice daily after meals, if necessary Day 3 - 100 mg in the morning and 50 to 100 mg following the afternoon or evening meal, depending upon response to the morning dose A few patients may require…
Ethacrynate side effects
Gastrointestinal Anorexia, malaise, abdominal discomfort or pain, dysphagia, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea have occurred. These are more frequent with large doses or after one to three months of continuous therapy. A few patients have had, sudden onset of profuse, watery diarrhea. Discontinue ethacrynate sodium if diarrhea is severe and do not give it again. Gastrointestinal bleeding has occurred in some patients. Rarely, acute pancreatitis has been reported. Metabolic Reversible hyperuricemia and acute gout have been reported. Acute symptomatic hypoglycemia with convulsions occurred in two uremic patients who received doses above those recommended. Hyperglycemia has been reported. Rarely, jaundice and abnormal liver function tests have been reported in seriously ill patients receiving multiple drug therapy, including ethacrynate sodium. Hematologic Agranulocytosis or severe neutropenia has been reported in a few critically ill patients also receiving agents known to produce this effect. Thrombocytopenia has been reported rarely. Henoch-Schӧnlein purpura has been reported rarely in patients with rheumatic heart disease receiving multiple drug therapy, including ethacrynate sodium. Special Senses (see WARNINGS) Deafness, tinnitus and vertigo with a sense of fullness in the ears, and blurred vision have occurred. Central Nervous System Headache, fatigue, apprehension,…
Who shouldn’t take ethacrynate
All diuretics, including ethacrynic acid, are contraindicated in anuria. If increasing electrolyte imbalance, azotemia, and/or oliguria occur during treatment of severe, progressive renal disease, the diuretic should be discontinued. In a few patients this diuretic has produced severe, watery diarrhea. If this occurs, it should be discontinued and not used again. Until further experience in infants is accumulated, therapy with parenteral ethacrynate sodium is contraindicated. Hypersensitivity to any component of this product.
Ethacrynate drug interactions
Lithium generally should not be given with diuretics because they reduce its renal clearance and add a high risk of lithium toxicity. Read circulars for lithium preparations before use of such concomitant therapy. Ethacrynate sodium may increase the ototoxic potential of other drugs such as aminoglycoside and some cephalosporin antibiotics. Their concurrent use should be avoided. A number of drugs, including ethacrynic acid, have been shown to displace warfarin from plasma protein; a reduction in the usual anticoagulant dosage may be required in patients receiving both drugs. In some patients, the administration of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent can reduce the diuretic, natriuretic, and antihypertensive effects of loop, potassium-sparing and thiazide diuretics. Therefore, when ethacrynate sodium and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents are used concomitantly, the patient should be observed closely to determine if the desired effect of the diuretic is obtained.
Every ethacrynate product we track (1)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
Only one: Ethacrynate Sodium.
What people report to the FDA about ethacrynate
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 6 reports naming ethacrynate, and the FDA flagged 83% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- diarrhoea2 reports
- hypersensitivity2 reports
- alanine aminotransferase increased1 reports
- angioedema1 reports
- anti-transglutaminase antibody negative1 reports
- ascites1 reports
- blood creatine phosphokinase increased1 reports
- coeliac disease1 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean ethacrynate caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 25, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
What is ethacrynate?
Ethacrynate Sodium is a medication used to treat Ascites, Edema, Heart Failure, Hypertension.
Can you take ethacrynate with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run ethacrynate against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What forms does ethacrynate come in?
Across the brands we track, ethacrynate is currently marketed as injectable and powder, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic ethacrynate?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic ethacrynate product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Ethacrynate: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/ethacrynate
- MLA
- “Ethacrynate: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/ethacrynate.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for ethacrynate on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.