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Acetazolamide Intravenous for Adults

Who can administer

May be administered by registered competent doctor or nurse/midwife

Important information

  • Unlicensed preparation

Available preparations

Diamox 500mg vial

Acetazolamide 500mg vial (Mylan)

Reconstitution

Water for injections

  • Ideally reconstitute each vial with 10ml to reduce injection pain - but must use at least 5ml per 500mg vial

Methods of intravenous administration

Slow intravenous injection (preferred method)

  • Administer required dose over at least 3 minutes (ref 1)

Dose in adults

Glaucoma

  • Give 250mg to 1g per twenty-four hours - usually in divided doses for amounts greater than 250mg

Epilepsy

  • Give 250 to 1000mg daily in divided doses

Congestive heart failure or drug induced oedema

  • For diuresis, the starting dose is usually 250mg to 375mg once daily mane
  • If, after an initial response, the patient fails to lose oedema fluid, do not increase the dose but allow for kidney recovery by giving dose on alternate days

Renal impairment

  • If CrCl less than 50mL/min- consider reducing dose or increasing interval
  • Avoid in CrCl less than 10ml/min

Monitoring

  • Monitor sodium, potassium and for metabolic acidosis

Storage

Store below 250C

References

UK SPC Diamox October 2024

1: Medusa accessed online 10/04/2025

Therapeutic classification

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors