What is the best diuretic?

The one that works:): Thiazide (HCTZ, Dyazide) are weak diuretics but a very good medicine to start treating Hypertension. When stronger diuretics are needed, the choice is "loop" diuretics (furosemide, torsemide, bumetanide), used more frequently for edema , fluid overload and heart failure.

Best diuretic: 50 from OH asks what is best diuretic. Diuretics work by getting rid of excess sodium in body and water follows. Best way to avoid need for diuretics is to eat less salt (NaCL). So I recommend you read the DASH diet book, discuss with your team and see if you can avoid diuretics by eating less salt. Here is the book number I recommend ISBN: 0-7434-1007-6 also available as e-book.

Depends.: There are several different classes of diuretics and each class has different properties of which the prescribing doc may take advantage. For instance furosemide tends to lower potassium levels in the body whereas spironolactone increases them. Certain diuretics work better in kidney disease than others. It's complicated, so to answer your question, the "best" diuretic depends on the situation.

No one best diuretic: the best diuretic is one that pulls off the most fluid. The stronger the diuretic the more likely one will face other complications such as low potassium, sodium, or magnesium levels. Metolazone is perhaps single most potent oral diuretic, but I use with great caution b/c can mess with electrolyte balance (mentioned above) in profound way. Furosemide (Lasix) and bumetanide are other potent ones