Furosemide intravenous infusion in normal man: electrolytic, metabolic and hormonal effects. Lack of changes in basal insulin and glucagon plasma levels.

Eight overnight fasted healthy young volunteers received an intravenous infusion of 0.5 mg furosemide per kg body weight administered in 60 min. This period was preceded and followed by two control periods of one hour each during which physiological saline (o.154 mol/l) was administered at a rate of 1 ml/min. Furosemide markedly increased the diuresis and natriuresis which reached 1260 +/- 198 ml and 138.4 +/- 20.9 mmol per hour respectively. This was associated with a significant three fold increase in urinary total catecholamines excretion. Blood glucose, plasma free fatty acids, insulin and glucagon concentrations did not exhibit any significant change during and after furosemide infusion, compared to pre-infusion values. These results demonstrate that, in normal man, doses of furosemide capable of exerting plasma concentrations. It is concluded that the stimulation of insulin and glucagon secretion observed in vitro with high furosemide concentrations (5 mmol/l) are not observed under usual therapeutic conditions.