What Is Spironolactone Used For?

Spironolactone for Heart Failure

Spironolactone has been shown to decrease the risk of hospitalization or death (including death from any cause or heart-related death) in people with severe heart failure. In the main study of spironolactone for this use, all people in the study were already taking a "loop" diuretic (such as furosemide), and almost all people were taking an ACE inhibitor (such as lisinopril). This study was actually stopped early because the benefit for adding spironolactone was so significant, since it would be unethical to continue giving a placebo (a "sugar pill" with no active ingredients) when it was clear that spironolactone could prevent hospitalizations and deaths.
  

Spironolactone for High Blood Pressure

A blood pressure reading consists of two numbers -- for example, 120/80. The top number is known as the systolic blood pressure, and the bottom number is the diastolic blood pressure. High blood pressure is defined as an average blood pressure higher than 140/90, with multiple blood pressure readings.
 
Based on clinical studies, spironolactone has been shown to significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. By lowering blood pressure, spironolactone can decrease the risk of developing health problems (such as a stroke, heart disease, or congestive heart failure) that occur with long-term high blood pressure (see Effects of High Blood Pressure). Spironolactone is not a cure for high blood pressure.
 

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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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