Clinical information
Common uses
- glaucoma
- oedema from heart failure or medicines
- certain epilepsies (petit mal)
- preventing acute mountain sickness
Common side effects
- numbness or tingling in hands, feet or face
- tiredness and drowsiness
- feeling sick, vomiting or diarrhoea
- taste changes and loss of appetite
- increased urination
Cautions
- sulfonamide-type drug — rare severe reactions possible
- not for marked kidney or liver disease or cirrhosis
- avoid with high-dose aspirin — serious toxicity reported
- long-term use unsuitable in chronic angle-closure glaucoma
Interactions
- high-dose aspirin (serious toxicity)
- phenytoin (raised levels)
- primidone (reduced effect)
- lithium (levels may fall)
- other carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (avoid)
- sodium bicarbonate (kidney stone risk)
Pregnancy: only if benefit justifies the risk
Reference information, not medical advice — always follow your doctor or pharmacist. Source: DailyMed, dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, acetazolamide label, setid 268db224-d5db-457c-86bc-972c9fe07917 (accessed 2026-08-16)