Furosemide belongs to a group of medicines called loop diuretics. A diuretic is a medicine which increases the amount of urine that you pass out from your kidneys. They are often referred to as 'water tablets'. Furosemide is used to clear excess fluid from your body in conditions where your body retains more than it needs. This extra fluid causes you to feel breathless and tired, and your feet and ankles to swell - it is called water retention (oedema), and it is commonly caused by heart failure.
Diuretics are also a common treatment for high blood pressure (hypertension). Furosemide is prescribed for high blood pressure when it cannot be sufficiently controlled by other diuretics.
Furosemide can be used on its own as a diuretic, or it can be prescribed as a combination tablet alongside other diuretics such as triamterene, amiloride or spironolactone. It is sometimes prescribed as a combination tablet with a mineral salt called potassium