Heart Health Heart Disease Treatment Side Effects of Bumex (Bumetanide) By Rebeca Schiller Rebeca Schiller is a health and wellness writer with over a decade of experience covering topics including digestive health, pain management, and holistic nutrition. Learn about our editorial process Rebeca Schiller Published on December 11, 2020 Print Bumex, or bumetanide, is a strong diuretic and can cause side effects, with dehydration being the most serious one. This medication is commonly prescribed to treat edema (fluid retention) caused by medical problems like heart failure, kidney disease, and liver disease. It works by clearing the kidneys of excess water and sodium. Bumetanide can also be prescribed to treat high blood pressure. Patients taking bumetanide should take note of the medication’s side effects and contact their doctor if they experience symptoms that become severe or don’t go away. Westend61 / Getty Images Common Side Effects While taking bumetanide, it's common to experience the following: Frequent urinationDizziness or lightheadednessMuscles crampsUpset stomachDiarrhea If these effects are severe, don’t go away, or become worse, let your doctor know. Bumetanide may hinder the efficacy of other prescription medications and increase the chance of side effects. Drugs that could interact with include: Ototoxic drugs (affecting hearing), including aminoglycoside antibiotics such as amikacin, Garamycin (gentamicin), or Bethkis (tobramycin)Medication that may be potentially nephrotoxic (damaging or destructive to the kidneys)Lithium and bumetanide should not be taken together because diuretics can significantly increase lithium concentration in the body and increase the risk of lithium toxicityProbenecid reduces the excretion of sodium in the urine (natriuresis) and the high concentration of renin in the blood (hyperreninemia) produced by bumetanideAntihypertensives' effects may be increased when taken with bumetanide. Dose reduction will be required if both medications are taken at the same timePrednisone and other corticosteroids, which can change the level of potassium in the bloodToxicity risk of digoxin (used to treat heart conditions) is increased with bumetanideMedications that contain a lot of sodium, which is found in salt, like paracetamol. Too much salt can stop bumetanide working properly Inform your physician of the medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking. Your doctor will determine whether you are taking medications that may interact with bumetanide and if you can safely stop taking them. Serious Side Effects Taking too much bumetanide or taking it too often may result in extreme fluid loss, electrolyte depletion (presenting as dizziness, weakness, confusion, anorexia, lethargy, cramps, and vomiting), dehydration, reduction in blood volume, and circulatory collapse. This can potentially result in vascular thrombosis (blood clots obstructing a vein) and embolism (air bubbles obstructing an artery), especially in older adults. Bumetanide may cause too low potassium levels in the blood (hypokalemia), especially in patients who are taking a form of digitalis like digoxin and diuretics for heart failure, hepatic cirrhosis, and ascites (fluid accumulation in the peritoneal cavity that causes abdominal swelling). Other serious side effects that bumetanide can cause include aldosterone (a steroid hormone) excess with normal kidney function, potassium-losing nephropathy, or other conditions where hypokalemia is an added risk, particularly in people with a history of abnormal heartbeats in the lower chamber (ventricular arrhythmias). Skin reactions—such as Steven-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis—could also result from taking bumetanide. Bumetanide can also cause the following severe adverse effects: Ringing in ears (tinnitus)Hearing lossUnusual bleeding or bruisingHivesDifficulty breathing or shortness of breathChest painRenal failure If you experience any of these symptoms, notify your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room for medical treatment. In rare cases, bumetanide may cause an allergic reaction. Seek medical help right away if you have: A skin rash that may include itchy, red, swollen, blistered or peeling skinWheezingTightness in the chest or throatTrouble breathing or talkingSwelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue or throat In Case of a Bumetanide Overdose If the person taking bumetanide has collapsed, had a seizure, has difficulty breathing, or can’t wake up, call 911 at once. For accidental overdose, call the the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222, or you can access information online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help/. A Word From Verywell Bumetanide may help with various serious health conditions, but it may also cause additional medical issues. No matter what you are taking bumetanide for, pay close attention to whether you are having adverse reactions to the diuretic if you are taking it regularly. To minimize side effects, let your physician know what medications, vitamins, supplements and herbal products you are taking when discussing treatment. If you experience side effects, contact your provider. Your doctor will advise you if your symptoms are common, or they may decide to prescribe a different medication to treat your condition. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Did you know the most common forms of heart disease are largely preventable? Our guide will show you what puts you at risk, and how to take control of your heart health. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. DailyMed - LABEL: BUMEX- bumetanide tablet. Updated August 31, 2018. Bumetanide tablets. Cleveland Clinic. Bumetanide: medlineplus drug information. Last revised October 15, 2017 DailyMed - LABEL: BUMEX- bumetanide tablet. Updated August 31, 2018. MedlinePlus. Bumetanide. Updated November 30, 2020. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Bumex, Brand of bumetanide, Tablets.