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Acetazolamide

Acetazolamid Agepha, Diamox · ATC code S01EC01

Also known as: Acetazolamid, Asetazolamid, Acétazolamide, Acetazolamida · Brand names: Acemit, Acetazolamid Aspire Pharma, Glaupax, Acetazolamid Agepha, Diamox, Diazomid

Key facts
Active substance
Acetazolamide
ATC code
S01EC01
Authorisation
authorised nationally; no central EU authorisation
Information as of
2026-10-27

Key facts

Acetazolamide is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor and sulfonamide derivative. It is used as adjunctive treatment of edema, certain epilepsies and glaucoma, and to prevent acute mountain sickness.

What it is used for

  • Adjunctive treatment of edema due to congestive heart failure and drug-induced edema
  • Adjunctive treatment of centrencephalic epilepsies (petit mal, unlocalized seizures)
  • Chronic open-angle glaucoma, secondary glaucoma, and preoperatively in acute angle-closure glaucoma
  • Prevention or amelioration of acute mountain sickness in rapid ascent or in very susceptible climbers

Dosing

  • Open-angle glaucoma: 250 mg to 1 g per 24 hours, usually in divided doses for amounts over 250 mg; more than 1 g usually gives no added effect
  • Secondary and acute angle-closure glaucoma: preferred dose 250 mg every four hours; in some acute cases an initial 500 mg, then 125 or 250 mg every four hours
  • Epilepsy: 8 to 30 mg per kg daily in divided doses; optimum range appears to be 375 to 1000 mg daily
  • Epilepsy with other anticonvulsants: start with 250 mg once daily added to existing medication
  • Congestive heart failure: starting dose usually 250 to 375 mg once daily in the morning; best diuretic results on alternate days
  • Further regimens (including mountain sickness) are in the full prescribing information

Contraindications

  • Hypersensitivity to acetazolamide or excipients; cross-sensitivity with sulfonamides is possible
  • Depressed serum sodium and/or potassium levels
  • Marked kidney or liver disease, cirrhosis (risk of hepatic encephalopathy)
  • Suprarenal gland failure and hyperchloremic acidosis
  • Long-term use in chronic noncongestive angle-closure glaucoma

Important warnings

  • Rare fatalities from severe sulfonamide reactions: Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, fulminant hepatic necrosis, agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia, anaphylaxis
  • Discontinue if signs of hypersensitivity or other serious reactions occur
  • Sensitization may recur when a sulfonamide is readministered, irrespective of route
  • Caution with concomitant high-dose aspirin: anorexia, tachypnea, lethargy, metabolic acidosis, coma and death have been reported

Side effects

  • Headache, malaise, fatigue, fever, flushing; growth retardation in children
  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, taste alteration
  • Paresthesia, drowsiness, confusion, dizziness, convulsions
  • Metabolic acidosis, electrolyte imbalance including hypokalemia and hyponatremia
  • Blood dyscrasias, abnormal liver function up to fulminant hepatic necrosis
  • Crystalluria, nephrolithiasis with long-term therapy, renal failure; transient myopia, choroidal effusion

Interactions

  • High-dose aspirin: serious reactions including death reported
  • Long-term phenytoin therapy: osteomalacia reported

Summary of the official product information, written with AI on 2026-10-28. Every number was checked automatically against the original text. Not reviewed by a physician – the full official text is authoritative.

Full official text →

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For patients

Patient information (US)

This product has no separate US patient information.

Authorisation and brand names by country

Medicines with exactly this active-substance composition, as listed in the national registers – alphabetical and without ranking. Whether a product is currently available is not shown here.

Germany

  • AcemitOmnivision Gmbh · 1 register entry
  • Acetazolamid Aspire PharmaAspire Pharma (Malta) Limited · 1 register entry
  • GlaupaxOmnivision Gmbh · 1 register entry

Source: EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), as of 2026-10-28

Austria

  • Acetazolamid AgephaAgepha Pharma S.R.O · 1 register entry
  • DiamoxAmdipharm Limited · 2 register entries

Source: EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), as of 2026-10-28

Turkey

  • DiazomidSANOFİ SAĞLIK ÜRÜNLERİ LTD. ŞTİ. · 1 register entry

Source: TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, as of 2026-10-16

Brand names in 23 more European countries
Belgium
Diamox
Croatia
Diamox
Cyprus
Acetazolamide Remedica
Czechia
Diluran
Denmark
Diamox
France
Diamox
Greece
Acetazolamide Ι.Φ.Ε.Τ.
Hungary
Huma-Zolamide
Iceland
Diamox
Ireland
Diamox
Italy
Diamox
Latvia
Diacarb
Lithuania
Diacarb
Luxembourg
Diamox
Malta
Acetazolamide, Diamox Sodium
Netherlands
Diamox
Norway
Diamox
Poland
Diuramid
Portugal
Carbinib
Romania
Acetazolamida Arena
Slovakia
Diluran
Spain
Acetazolamida Aspire, Edemox
Sweden
Diamox

EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-28

Medelix receives no money from pharmaceutical companies. Brand names are listed alphabetically and without ranking.

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Sources

  1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Acetazolamide (Strides Pharma Science Limited) – Prescribing Information, 2026-08-19. DailyMed (NLM), 2026-10-27. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/lookup.cfm?setid=4813b9dd-5f58-44bb-ad64-cdb331828080
  2. EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-28. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/post-authorisation/data-medicines-iso-idmp-standards-post-authorisation/public-data-article-57-database
  3. EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-28. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/post-authorisation/data-medicines-iso-idmp-standards-post-authorisation/public-data-article-57-database
  4. TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, 2026-10-16. https://www.titck.gov.tr/dinamikmodul/85

Editorial: Medelix editorial team · last updated 2026-10-27 · How these pages are made · Report an error

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), prescribing information, via DailyMed (NLM); public domain. Not advertising, not a treatment recommendation. For questions about your own treatment, ask your doctor or pharmacist.