34.0: Introduction
Diuretic therapy is used to increase urinary output for the treatment of edematous conditions, hypertension, heart failure, liver failure, acute and chronic renal diseases, and nephrotic syndrome. There are four groups of diuretics: loop, osmotic, potassium-sparing, and thiazide/thiazide-like. Each targets a specific area of the nephron, resulting in the inhibition of sodium and water reabsorption.