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What is Ammonium Chloride
Ammonium chloride, an acid-forming salt, is used to correct metabolic alkalosis resulting from chloride depletion following the use of diuretics, or following vomiting, gastric fistula drainage, or nasogastric suction.
The drug can be useful for short-term diuresis to alleviate the symptoms of edema, bloating, temporary water weight gain, and/or the full feeling associated with premenstrual and menstrual periods.
Ammonium chloride is used to lower urinary pH during the treatment of urinary tract infections and as an expectorant, typically in combination with other cough mixtures, although ammonium chloride is not considered a drug of choice for these conditions.
Ammonium chloride was in use prior to 1938 and approved by the FDA at its inception.
Indications
- hypochloremia
- Meniere’s syndrome
- metabolic alkalosis
- premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- urinary acidification
For the treatment of hypochloremia or hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis in patients who cannot receive sodium chloride and who do not have end-stage hepatic disease
Side Effects
- bradycardia
- coma
- confusion
- fever
- hyperhidrosis
- hyperreflexia
- hyperventilation
- hypervolemia
- hypokalemia
- infection
- injection site reaction
- metabolic acidosis
- pallor
- phlebitis
- seizures
- tetany
- thrombosis
- vomiting
Monitoring Parameters
- serum chloride
- total CO2
Contraindications
- ammonium toxicity
- breast-feeding
- hepatic disease
- hyperchloremia
- hyponatremia
- metabolic acidosis
- pregnancy
- pulmonary edema
- renal disease
- renal failure
- renal impairment
- vomiting
Interactions
- Acetaminophen; Aspirin, ASA; Caffeine
- Acetaminophen; Caffeine; Magnesium Salicylate; Phenyltoloxamine
- Acetaminophen; Chlorpheniramine; Dextromethorphan; Pseudoephedrine
- Acetaminophen; Dextromethorphan; Pseudoephedrine
- Acetaminophen; Pseudoephedrine
- Acrivastine; Pseudoephedrine
- Aluminum Hydroxide
- Aluminum Hydroxide; Magnesium Carbonate
- Aluminum Hydroxide; Magnesium Hydroxide
- Aluminum Hydroxide; Magnesium Hydroxide; Simethicone
- Aluminum Hydroxide; Magnesium Trisilicate
- Amphetamine; Dextroamphetamine Salts
- Antacids
- Aspirin, ASA
- Aspirin, ASA; Butalbital; Caffeine
- Aspirin, ASA; Butalbital; Caffeine; Codeine
- Aspirin, ASA; Caffeine; Dihydrocodeine
- Aspirin, ASA; Caffeine; Orphenadrine
- Aspirin, ASA; Carisoprodol
- Aspirin, ASA; Carisoprodol; Codeine
- Aspirin, ASA; Citric Acid; Sodium Bicarbonate
- Aspirin, ASA; Dipyridamole
- Aspirin, ASA; Omeprazole
- Aspirin, ASA; Oxycodone
- Aspirin, ASA; Pravastatin
- Benzphetamine
- Bismuth Subsalicylate
- Bismuth Subsalicylate; Metronidazole; Tetracycline
- Brompheniramine; Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Brompheniramine; Pseudoephedrine
- Calcium Carbonate; Magnesium Hydroxide
- Carbetapentane; Pseudoephedrine
- Carbinoxamine; Dextromethorphan; Pseudoephedrine
- Carbinoxamine; Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Carbinoxamine; Pseudoephedrine
- Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
- Cetirizine; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlophedianol; Dexchlorpheniramine; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Dihydrocodeine; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Guaifenesin; Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlorpropamide
- Choline Salicylate; Magnesium Salicylate
- Colchicine
- Colchicine; Probenecid
- Desloratadine; Pseudoephedrine
- Dexchlorpheniramine; Dextromethorphan; Pseudoephedrine
- Dextromethorphan; Guaifenesin; Pseudoephedrine
- Dichlorphenamide
- Dihydrocodeine; Guaifenesin; Pseudoephedrine
- Fexofenadine; Pseudoephedrine
- Flecainide
- Guaifenesin; Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Guaifenesin; Pseudoephedrine
- Hydrocodone; Potassium Guaiacolsulfonate; Pseudoephedrine
- Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Ibuprofen; Pseudoephedrine
- Lisdexamfetamine
- Loratadine; Pseudoephedrine
- Magnesium Hydroxide
- Magnesium Salicylate
- Methadone
- Methamphetamine
- Mexiletine
- Naproxen; Pseudoephedrine
- Potassium
- Pseudoephedrine
- Salsalate
