The effect of chronic frusemide administration on intracellular potassium, sodium and pH of cardiac and skeletal muscle.

1. Chronic administration of frusemide in large doses of 4 mg day-1 kg-1 for 3 weeks caused a significant reduction of cell water in rabbit cardiac and skeletal muscle. Intracellular Na+ concentration, intracellular pH and extracellular space was unchanged in both tissues. Intracellular K+ concentration increased slightly in both cardiac and skeletal muscle. 2. It is concluded that frusemide does not reduce intracellular K+ concentration in cardiac or skeletal muscle of normal animals receiving a normal oral potassium intake.