acetazolamide sodium
Acetazolamide Sodium is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor used to treat Altitude Sickness, Glaucoma, Seizures.
Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitor · by Mylan Asi
Key facts
- Active ingredient
- Acetazolamide Sodium
- Drug class
- Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitor
- Form
- Injectable
- Strength
- Acetazolamide Sodium EQ 500MG BASE/VIAL
- Type
- Prescription (Rx)
- Brand or generic
- Generic
- May treat
- altitude sickness, glaucoma, seizures
- Manufacturer
- Mylan Asi
- What the pharmacy pays
- ~$4.02 for 30 — not your price
- FDA application
- ANDA200880
What is Acetazolamide Sodium?
From the FDA label:Acetazolamide, an inhibitor of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase is a white to faintly yellowish white, crystalline powder, sparingly soluble in practically boiling water, very slightly soluble in water and slightly soluble in alcohol. The chemical name for acetazolamide is N -(5-Sulamoyl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl) acetamide and has the following chemical structure: Acetazolamide for injection, USP is available for intravenous use, and is supplied as a sterile, white or almost white to faintly yellowish white lyophilized powder or plug requiring reconstitution. Each vial contains an amount of acetazolamide sodium equivalent to 500 mg of acetazolamide, USP. The bulk solution is adjusted to pH 9.2 using sodium hydroxide and, if necessary, hydrochloric acid prior to lyophilization. Acetazolamide Chemical Structure
How to use
Preparation and Storage of Parenteral Solution Each 500 mg vial containing Acetazolamide for Injection should be reconstituted with at least 5 mL of Sterile Water for Injection prior to use. Reconstituted solutions retain their physical and chemical properties for 3 days under refrigeration at 2° to 8°C (36° to 46°F), or 12 hours at room temperature 20°C to 25°C (68° to 77°F). CONTAINS NO PRESERVATIVE. The direct intravenous route of administration is preferred. Intramuscular administration is not recommended. Glaucoma: Acetazolamide for injection should be used as an adjunct to the usual therapy. The dosage employed in the treatment of chronic simple (open-angle) glaucoma ranges from 250 mg to 1 g of acetazolamide for injection per 24 hours, usually in divided doses for amounts over 250 mg. It has usually been found that a dosage in excess of 1 g per 24 hours does not produce an increased effect. In all cases, the dosage should be adjusted with careful individual attention both to symptomatology and ocular tension. Continuous supervision by a physician is advisable. In treatment of secondary glaucoma and in the preoperative treatment of some cases of acute congestive (closed-angle) glaucoma , the preferred dosage is 250 mg every four hours, although some cases have responded to 250 mg twice daily on short-term therapy. In some acute cases, it may be more satisfactory to…
Side effects
Body as a whole: Headache, malaise, fatigue, fever, pain at injection site, flushing, growth retardation in children, flaccid paralysis, anaphylaxis Digestive: Gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea Hematological/Lymphatic: Blood dyscrasias such as aplastic anemia, agranulocytosis, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, thrombocytopenic purpura, melena Hepato-biliary disorders: Abnormal liver function, cholestatic jaundice, hepatic insufficiency, fulminant hepatic necrosis Metabolic/Nutritional: Metabolic acidosis, electrolyte imbalance, including hypokalemia, hyponatremia, osteomalacia with long-term phenytoin therapy, loss of appetite, taste alteration, hyper/hypoglycemia Nervous: Drowsiness, paraesthesia (including numbness and tingling of extremities and face), depression, excitement, ataxia, confusion, convulsions, dizziness Skin: Allergic skin reactions including urticaria, photosensitivity, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis Otologic : Hearing disturbances, tinnitus Eye Disorders: choroidal effusion, choroidal detachment, transient myopia. Transient myopia is the result of forward movement of the ciliary body leading to a narrowing of the angle. Urogenital: Crystalluria, increased risk of nephrolithiasis with long-term therapy, hematuria, glycosuria, renal failure, polyuria To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Mylan at…
Warnings
Important safety information
Fatalities have occurred, although rarely, due to severe reactions to sulfonamides including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, fulminant hepatic necrosis, agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia, and other blood dyscrasias, and anaphylaxis. Sensitizations may recur when a sulfonamide is readministered irrespective of the route of administration. If signs of hypersensitivity or other serious reactions occur, discontinue use of this drug. Caution is advised for patients receiving concomitant high-dose aspirin and acetazolamide, as anorexia, tachypnea, lethargy, metabolic acidosis, coma, and death have been reported.
Who should not take Acetazolamide Sodium
Hypersensitivity to acetazolamide or any excipients in the formulation. Since acetazolamide is a sulfonamide derivative, cross sensitivity between acetazolamide, sulfonamides and other sulfonamide derivatives is possible. Acetazolamide therapy is contraindicated in situations in which sodium and/or potassium blood serum levels are depressed, in cases of marked kidney and liver disease or dysfunction, in suprarenal gland failure, and in hyperchloremic acidosis. It is contraindicated in patients with cirrhosis because of the risk of development of hepatic encephalopathy. Long-term administration of acetazolamide is contraindicated in patients with chronic noncongestive angle-closure glaucoma since it may permit organic closure of the angle to occur while the worsening glaucoma is masked by lowered intraocular pressure.
Overdose — what happens if you take too much
No specific antidote is known. Treatment should be symptomatic and supportive. Electrolyte imbalance, development of an acidotic state, and central nervous effects might be expected to occur. Serum electrolyte levels (particularly potassium) and blood pH levels should be monitored. Supportive measures are required to restore electrolyte and pH balance. The acidotic state can usually be corrected by the administration of bicarbonate. Despite its high intraerythrocytic distribution and plasma protein binding properties, acetazolamide is dialyzable. This may be particularly important in the management of acetazolamide overdosage when complicated by the presence of renal failure.
U.S. Poison Control: call or text 1-800-222-1222 (free, 24/7). In an emergency call 911. From the FDA label; not medical advice.
Interactions
Aspirin – See WARNINGS . Acetazolamide modifies phenytoin metabolism with increased serum levels of phenytoin. This may increase or enhance the occurrence of osteomalacia in some patients receiving chronic phenytoin therapy. Caution is advised in patients receiving chronic concomitant therapy. By decreasing the gastrointestinal absorption of primidone, acetazolamide may decrease serum concentrations of primidone and its metabolites, with a consequent possible decrease in anticonvulsant effect. Caution is advised when beginning, discontinuing, or changing the dose of acetazolamide in patients receiving primidone. Because of possible additive effects with other carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, concomitant use is not advisable. Acetazolamide may increase the effects of other folic acid antagonists. Acetazolamide may increase or decrease blood glucose levels. Consideration should be taken in patients being treated with antidiabetic agents. Acetazolamide decreases urinary excretion of amphetamine and may enhance the magnitude and duration of their effect. Acetazolamide reduces urinary excretion of quinidine and may enhance its effect. Acetazolamide may prevent the urinary antiseptic effect of methenamine. Acetazolamide increases lithium excretion and the lithium may be decreased. Acetazolamide and sodium bicarbonate used concurrently increases the risk of renal calculus formation. Acetazolamide may elevate cyclosporine levels.
Drug class
How this class works, per Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf.
May treat (source: NIH RxClass)
See how Acetazolamide Sodium ranks — best-rated carbonic anhydrase inhibitor for:
Dosage forms
Injectable
The forms currently marketed in the U.S., per the FDA National Drug Code Directory.
Ways to save
Ask for the generic
Same active ingredient, far cheaper. Is there a generic? →
Request a 90-day supply
Bulk fills usually lower the per-dose price vs monthly refills.
Use copay cards
Manufacturer copay cards & patient-assistance programs — especially for brand drugs.
Compare alternatives
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Frequently asked questions
- What does Acetazolamide Sodium treat?
- Acetazolamide Sodium (Acetazolamide Sodium) may be used to treat altitude sickness, glaucoma, seizures, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.
- How does Acetazolamide Sodium work?
- Acetazolamide Sodium is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. These block the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, which normally helps the body recycle bicarbonate. In the kidneys this flushes more bicarbonate, sodium, and water into the urine, and in the eye it cuts production of the fluid that builds up pressure, which is why they treat conditions like glaucoma and altitude sickness.
- How much does Acetazolamide Sodium cost?
- Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $4.02 for 30, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins.
- Is there a coupon or discount for Acetazolamide Sodium?
- pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Acetazolamide Sodium. To pay less, Acetazolamide Sodium is already a generic — usually the lowest-cost version — so the main levers are comparing cash prices between pharmacies and using a pharmacy discount-card service. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.
- Who makes Acetazolamide Sodium?
- Acetazolamide Sodium is marketed by Mylan Asi. You can see Mylan Asi's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.
- Is Acetazolamide Sodium a brand-name or generic drug?
- Acetazolamide Sodium is a generic medication; its active ingredient is Acetazolamide Sodium. Generics contain the same active ingredient as the brand-name original and are usually lower cost.
- Is Acetazolamide Sodium available over the counter?
- No. Acetazolamide Sodium is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.
- What forms does Acetazolamide Sodium come in?
- Acetazolamide Sodium is currently marketed as injectable, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.
- What class of drug is Acetazolamide Sodium?
- Acetazolamide Sodium is classified as carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.
- Is Acetazolamide Sodium FDA-registered?
- Acetazolamide Sodium is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number ANDA200880. You can verify this on its official FDA label.
- Is Acetazolamide Sodium safe?
- There's no single safe-or-not verdict, and we don't yet have a composite recall-safety score for Acetazolamide Sodium. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings below, and always consult a licensed professional.
- What are the side effects of Acetazolamide Sodium?
- Acetazolamide Sodium's side effects are taken directly from its FDA label. From the label: Body as a whole: Headache, malaise, fatigue, fever, pain at injection site, flushing, growth retardation in children, flaccid paralysis, anaphylaxis Digestive: Gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea Hematological/Lymphatic: Blood dyscrasias such as aplastic anemia,… Both common and serious reactions are documented in full on this page. This is general reference from the FDA, not medical advice — always consult a professional.
Clinical content sourced from the FDA label via openFDA (U.S. FDA). View the FDA label on DailyMed → Provided for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional and the current prescribing information.
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