Bendroflumethiazide – a water tablet for high blood pressure

Bendroflumethiazide – a water tablet for high blood pressure

Bendroflumethiazide (BDZ) is a water tablet (diuretic) that works on the kidneys. It is primarily used to treat high blood pressure.

What is bendroflumethiazide?

• Thiazide diuretic (water tablet)

Who is it used for?

People with:

• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Fluid overload states (including CKD and nephrotic syndrome) – but it is a quite a weak diuretic

How it works

• Inhibits sodium (and with it, water) reabsorption in the distal convoluted tubule (DCT) of the kidney – therefore increasing the volume of urine produced

Dose

• 2.5-10 mg once a day (5 mg is the standard dose)

Side-effects

• Dehydration – shown by dizziness and low blood pressure
• Hyponatraemia, hypokalaemia and hypercalcaemia (low sodium and potassium, and high calcium levels)
• Gout – can cause (or worse) gout

Monitoring

Your doctor should monitor:

• Blood pressure
• Blood sodium, potassium and calcium levels

Note. Other diuretics (e.g. Spironolactone and Amiloride) may give high potassium levels

Other Resources

Bendroflumethiazide (BNF)
Review article: Bell, 2022