Side effects of mannitol

In today's society, people pay great attention to health, and many people now also attach great importance to medication safety. In addition to treating diseases, most drugs also bring us some adverse effects. The side effects of different drugs are different, and some drugs have very large side effects. So are the side effects of mannitol serious?

When it comes to the drug mannitol, many people probably don't know much about it. Mannitol is an injectable drug. Clinically, mannitol is a hypertonic tissue dehydrating agent. It is widely used in clinical practice to treat cerebral edema, prevent acute renal failure, treat glaucoma, and accelerate the excretion of poisons and drugs from the kidneys. However, long-term high-dose use or improper use can cause many toxic side effects. In recent years, there have been related reports at home and abroad. The toxic and side effects that often occur during clinical application and their countermeasures are summarized as follows.

Side effects of mannitol:

1. Water and electrolyte disorders are the most common.

(1) Rapid intravenous injection of large amounts of mannitol can cause accumulation of mannitol in the body, a rapid and large increase in blood volume (especially in acute or chronic renal failure), leading to heart failure (especially in cases of cardiac impairment), dilutional hyponatremia, and occasionally hyperkalemia;

(2) Inappropriate excessive diuresis leads to decreased blood volume and aggravates oliguria;

(3) The transfer of a large amount of intracellular fluid to the extracellular space can cause tissue dehydration and may cause central nervous system symptoms.

2. Chills and fever.

3. Difficulty urinating.

4. Thrombophlebitis.

5. Mannitol extravasation can cause tissue edema and skin necrosis.

6. Allergies cause rash, urticaria, difficulty breathing, and anaphylactic shock.

7. Dizziness and blurred vision.

8. Hypertonicity causes thirst.

9. Osmotic nephropathy (also known as mannitol nephropathy) is mainly seen during large-dose rapid intravenous infusion. Its mechanism has not been fully elucidated, but it may be related to mannitol causing excessive increase in renal tubular fluid osmotic pressure, leading to damage to renal tubular epithelial cells. The pathological manifestations are swelling of renal tubular epithelial cells and vacuolation. Clinically, there is decreased urine volume and even acute renal failure. Osmotic nephropathy is common in elderly patients with reduced renal blood flow, hyponatremia, and dehydration.

After reading the introduction in this article, everyone should have some understanding of the side effects of mannitol. Experts remind patients that mannitol must be used under the guidance of a professional physician. If any discomfort occurs during the use of mannitol, consult a doctor in time.