Diuretic in Spanish

Where the word appears among blood pressure medicines

MedlinePlus names diuretics among the most commonly used blood pressure medicines, alongside angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), beta blockers, and calcium channel blockers. It explains that these medicines work in different ways to lower blood pressure. Diuretics, it says, are often used with other high blood pressure medicines, sometimes in one combined pill, and often two or more medicines work better than one. MedlinePlus adds that while taking the medicines it is still important to keep up with healthy lifestyle changes.

What it means

A diuretic is a type of drug that causes the kidneys to make more urine, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) dictionary. Diuretics help the body get rid of extra fluid and salt, and they are used to treat high blood pressure, edema (extra fluid in the tissues), and other conditions. The same entry says there are many different types of diuretics and that they are sometimes called water pills. MedlinePlus, in its page on blood pressure medicines, says diuretics remove extra water and sodium (salt) from the body, which lowers the amount of fluid in the blood. This page explains the word only; decisions about any medicine belong with the prescribing health care provider.

Spanish term: Diurético
Gender and article: masculine as a noun: el diurético (plural: los diuréticos); as an adjective it agrees with its noun
Pronunciation: dyoo-REH-tee-koh

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
píldoras contra la retención de líquidos	General	Name the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary says diuretics are sometimes called; it stands where the English entry says water pills.

Diurético is the headword of the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary, which defines it as a type of medicine that makes the kidneys produce more urine. The Real Academia Española dictionary enters the word as diurético, ca, a medical adjective for something that has the power to increase the excretion of urine, and adds that it is also used as a masculine noun. Spanish therefore has both the noun el diurético (plural los diuréticos) and the adjective, which agrees with its noun. The written accent falls on the é.

Where the English entry says diuretics are sometimes called water pills, the National Cancer Institute's Spanish entry says píldoras contra la retención de líquidos. MedlinePlus en español uses the plural los diuréticos in its page on blood pressure medicines (Medicinas para la presión arterial), where it says they remove excess agua y sodio (sal). Nearby words in the dictionary entry are orina (urine), riñones (kidneys), presión arterial alta (high blood pressure) and edema, glossed there as extra fluid in the tissues.

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Clinician	I am prescribing a diuretic to help your body get rid of extra fluid.	Le voy a recetar un diurético para ayudar a su cuerpo a eliminar el líquido sobrante.
Patient	Is a diuretic the same thing as a water pill?	¿Un diurético es lo mismo que una píldora contra la retención de líquidos?
Patient	Since I started the diuretic, I have been urinating much more often.	Desde que empecé a tomar el diurético, orino con mucha más frecuencia.
Clinician	Have you noticed any swelling in your feet or ankles?	¿Ha notado hinchazón en los pies o en los tobillos?
Patient	Can you show me where the label says when to take it?	¿Puede mostrarme dónde dice la etiqueta cuándo debo tomarlo?
Clinician	Are you taking any other medicines for your blood pressure?	¿Está tomando otros medicamentos para la presión arterial?
Patient	I felt dizzy when I stood up this morning. Could it be from this medicine?	Me mareé al ponerme de pie esta mañana. ¿Podría ser por este medicamento?
Clinician	We are going to order a blood test to check your kidneys before the next visit.	Vamos a pedirle un análisis de sangre para revisar los riñones antes de la próxima consulta.

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Diuretic
Spanish (Español)	Diurético
Chinese (中文)	利尿劑
Korean (한국어)	이뇨제
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Thuốc lợi tiểu
Filipino (Tagalog)	Diuretic
Portuguese (Português)	Diurético
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	ยาขับปัสสาวะ
Japanese (日本語)	利尿薬

Where you'll see it

prescriptionformularypharmacy receiptchart

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Heart and circulation

All terms in this area: Heart and circulation — Corazón y circulación

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.