Who can administer
May be administered by registered competent doctor or nurse/midwife
Important information
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
