Formulary
Diazoxide: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Diazoxide clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Diazoxide: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Diazoxide clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
Indications and dose
**Chronic intractable hypoglycaemia**
- **Adult** (By Mouth): Initially 5 mg/kg daily in 2-3 divided doses, adjusted according to response; maintenance 3-8 mg/kg daily in 2-3 divided doses.
**Resistant hypertension for diazoxide**
- **Neonate** (By mouth): Initially 1.7 mg/kg 3 times a day, adjusted according to response; maximum 15 mg/kg per day.
- **Child** (By mouth): Initially 1.7 mg/kg 3 times a day, adjusted according to response; maximum 15 mg/kg per day.
**Chronic intractable hypoglycaemia for diazoxide**
- **Neonate** (By mouth): Initially 5 mg/kg twice daily, adjusted according to response, initial dose used to establish response; maintenance 1.5-3 mg/kg 2-3 times a day; increased if necessary up to 7 mg/kg 3 times a day, higher doses are unlikely to be beneficial, but may be required in some cases.
- **Child** (By mouth): Initially 1.7 mg/kg 3 times a day, adjusted according to response; maintenance 1.5-3 mg/kg 2-3 times a day, increased if necessary up to 5 mg/kg 3 times a day, doses up to 5 mg/kg may be required in some cases, but higher doses are unlikely to be beneficial.
Cautions
Aortic coarctation; aortic stenosis; arteriovenous shunt; heart failure; hyperuricaemia; impaired cardiac circulation; impaired cerebral circulation
Side effects
Frequency not known Abdominal pain; albuminuria; appetite decreased (long term use); arrhythmia; azotaemia; cardiomegaly; cataract; constipation; diabetic hyperosmolar coma; diarrhoea; dizziness; dyspnoea; eosinophilia; extrapyramidal symptoms; fever; fluid retention; galactorrhoea; haemorrhage; headache; heart failure; hirsutism; hyperglycaemia; hyperuricaemia (long term use); hypogammaglobulinaemia; hypotension; ileus; ketoacidosis; leucopenia; libido decreased; musculoskeletal pain; nausea; nephritic syndrome; oculogyric crisis; pancreatitis; parkinsonism; pulmonary hypertension; skin reactions; sodium retention; taste altered; thrombocytopenia; tinnitus; vision disorders; voice alteration (long term use); vomiting
Interactions
**Other interactions (3):**
- Drugs potentiated by diazoxide therapy include: oral diuretics, antihypertensive agents and anticoagulants.
- Phenytoin levels should be monitored as increased dosage may be needed if administered concurrently with diazoxide.
- The risk of hyperglycaemia may be increased by concurrent administration of corticosteroids or oestrogen-progestogen combinations.
Pregnancy
Use only if essential; alopecia and hypertrichosis reported in neonates with prolonged use; may inhibit uterine activity during labour.
Breast feeding
Manufacturer advises avoid-no information available.
Renal impairment
Dose adjustments Dose reduction may be required. M
Medicinal forms
Capsule,Tablet,Capsule
Clinical governance
**Author:** MedNext Clinical Team. **Clinical reviewer:** Dr Shameer Deen, MBBS, MS, MRCS. **Sources:** BNF, Indian Pharmacopoeia, CIMS India. **Correction:** Report errors at support@mednext.academy.
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