If you have an iodine deficiency, one available treatment is oral iodine supplementation. Spironolactone is a diuretic medication doctors prescribe to treat certain conditions, such as water retention secondary to conditions including liver cirrhosis and congestive heart failure. Particularly in the presence of additional health issues, concurrent use of these medications is generally contraindicated, because combining the two increases your risk of dangerous side effects and complications.
Spironolactone
Impaired function of your heart, kidneys or liver causes your body to retain fluid. In addition to being uncomfortable, fluid retention increases your weight, which places unnecessary strain on your heart. Spironolactone is a potassium-sparing diuretic that forces your body to eliminate excess fluid through increased urination. The medication inhibits salt absorption, but also increases potassium retention, which is why doctors prescribe spironolactone for hypokalemia, or a low serum potassium level. Side effects of this medication include headache, increased thirst, vomiting and diarrhea. Dizziness, drowsiness and restlessness are also possible problems. Women may experience irregular periods or postmenopausal vaginal bleeding. In men, spironolactone may cause erectile dysfunction. Both men and women may experience painful and enlarged breasts, as well.
Iodine Supplements
Although your body does not produce its own iodine, dietary intake of iodized salt is usually sufficient to prevent a deficiency of the chemical. Despite this, if you develop an iodine deficiency, you are at increased risk of developing conditions such as goiter, infertility and mental health problems. Doctors also prescribe iodine supplements to treat fibrocystic breast disease and to prevent eye disease, diabetes and breast cancer. Adverse reactions to iodine supplements include fatigue, confusion, an irregular heartbeat and enlargement of your thyroid gland.
Interactions
Most iodine supplements contain a combination of iodine and potassium iodide. Spironolactone promotes potassium retention. Use of either medication may increase your serum potassium. When you take them together, however, your potassium level may become too high for your body to effectively balance it, which results in hyperkalemia. This is especially true if you have other health conditions, such as kidney disease, that inhibit normal elimination of excess potassium. To avoid hyperkalemia, you should not use these medications concurrently. Hyperkalemia is a serious electrolyte imbalance, the progression of which is potentially fatal.
Hyperkalemia
Although hyperkalemia is often asymptomatic, its progression may eventually cause nausea, weakness, changes in breathing, and an irregular or weak pulse. Because taking spironolactone and iodine supplements together increases your risk of hyperkalemia, seeking emergency treatment upon noticing these symptoms is imperative. If you do not, loss of consciousness, cardiac arrest and death are possible. Treatment depends on the severity of hyperkalemia. Cation-exchange resin medications and intravenous adminstration of calcium, insulin and glucose are regular interventions, as is dialysis. Once your potassium level stabilizes, expect your doctor to recommend changing your medications to prevent future episodes of hyperkalemia.
Member Comments