water pill
Definition
- Noun:
- A diuretic drug; any substance that increases the production and flow of urine, helping the body to eliminate excess water and salt.
Usage
- The term water pill is a common, informal name for a diuretic. It is primarily used in everyday conversation and patient education to describe medications that help reduce fluid retention (edema) or lower blood pressure.
- It functions as a countable noun (e.g., , ).
Examples
- Noun:
- The doctor prescribed a water pill to help with the swelling in my ankles.
- Some water pills can cause you to lose potassium, so your doctor may recommend eating bananas.
- He takes a water pill every morning for his high blood pressure.
Advanced Usage
- "to be on a water pill": to be prescribed and taking a diuretic medication regularly.
- Since her diagnosis, she has been on a water pill.
Variants and Related Words
- Diuretic (n): The formal medical and scientific term for a water pill.
- Loop diuretics are a powerful class of drugs used in hospitals.
- Diuresis (n): The increased production of urine.
- Edema (n): The medical term for swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in the body's tissues, which water pills are often used to treat.
Synonyms
- Diuretic
- Fluid pill (less common)
Notes on Meaning
- The core meaning is specifically pharmacological. While some natural substances like caffeine have a mild diuretic effect, in common usage, a water pill refers to a manufactured medication.
- The purpose is therapeutic: to remove excess bodily fluid to manage conditions like hypertension, heart failure, or certain types of kidney disease.
Noun
-
any substance that tends to increase the flow of urine, which causes the body to get rid of excess water
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