Bumetanide MCQs With Answer: A focused review for B. Pharm students covering the pharmacology and clinical use of bumetanide. Key topics include mechanism of action (NKCC2 inhibition in the thick ascending limb), pharmacokinetics (high oral bioavailability, short half‑life), therapeutic indications (edema in heart failure, hepatic and renal disease), and adverse effects (hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis, ototoxicity). Emphasis is placed on dosing, monitoring (electrolytes, renal function, hearing), drug interactions (NSAIDs, aminoglycosides, digoxin), contraindications, and clinical problem‑solving to build exam readiness and safe prescribing knowledge. These Bumetanide MCQs With Answer will reinforce concepts in mechanism, pharmacokinetics, adverse effects, interactions, and clinical applications. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.
Q1. What is the primary mechanism of action of bumetanide?
- Inhibition of Na+/K+/2Cl− cotransporter (NKCC2) in the thick ascending limb
- Inhibition of Na+/Cl− cotransporter (NCC) in the distal tubule
- Activation of epithelial sodium channels (ENaC) in the collecting duct
- Inhibition of carbonic anhydrase in the proximal tubule
Correct Answer: Inhibition of Na+/K+/2Cl− cotransporter (NKCC2) in the thick ascending limb
Q2. Which of the following is the most common clinical indication for bumetanide?
- Treatment of bacterial infections
- Management of edema associated with heart failure
- Long‑term control of asthma
- Primary prevention of myocardial infarction
Correct Answer: Management of edema associated with heart failure
Q3. Compared to furosemide, bumetanide is:
- Less potent than furosemide
- Approximately equally potent
- Approximately 40 times more potent than furosemide
- Approximately 100 times more potent than furosemide
Correct Answer: Approximately 40 times more potent than furosemide
Q4. Which electrolyte disturbance is most characteristically caused by bumetanide therapy?
- Hyperkalemia
- Hypokalemia
- Hypermagnesemia
- Hypercalcemia
Correct Answer: Hypokalemia
Q5. The primary route of elimination for bumetanide is:
- Hepatic metabolism with biliary excretion
- Fecal excretion unchanged
- Primarily renal excretion
- Pulmonary exhalation
Correct Answer: Primarily renal excretion
Q6. Which statement best describes the oral bioavailability of bumetanide?
- Very low (<10%)
- Moderate (30–50%)
- High (~80–100%)
- Completely inactivated by first‑pass metabolism
Correct Answer: High (~80–100%)
Q7. What is the approximate elimination half‑life of bumetanide in adults?
- 30 minutes
- 1–1.5 hours
- 8–12 hours
- 24–48 hours
Correct Answer: 1–1.5 hours
Q8. Bumetanide’s effect on urinary calcium is to:
- Decrease calcium excretion and cause hypercalcemia
- Increase calcium excretion, potentially leading to hypocalcemia
- No significant effect on calcium handling
- Increase calcium reabsorption in the proximal tubule
Correct Answer: Increase calcium excretion, potentially leading to hypocalcemia
Q9. Which drug class increases the risk of bumetanide‑induced ototoxicity when coadministered?
- Beta‑blockers
- Aminoglycoside antibiotics
- ACE inhibitors
- Statins
Correct Answer: Aminoglycoside antibiotics
Q10. How do NSAIDs typically affect the diuretic effect of bumetanide?
- They potentiate the diuretic effect by increasing renal blood flow
- They have no interaction
- They reduce the diuretic effect by inhibiting renal prostaglandin synthesis
- They cause additive hyperkalemia with bumetanide
Correct Answer: They reduce the diuretic effect by inhibiting renal prostaglandin synthesis
Q11. The primary anatomical site of action for bumetanide is the:
- Proximal convoluted tubule
- Thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle
- Distal convoluted tubule
- Collecting duct
Correct Answer: Thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle
Q12. Bumetanide belongs to which chemical/class group?
- Thiazide diuretic
- Loop diuretic; sulfonamide derivative
- Potassium‑sparing diuretic
- Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor
Correct Answer: Loop diuretic; sulfonamide derivative
Q13. In patients with low glomerular filtration rate (GFR), bumetanide is:
- Less effective than thiazides and should be avoided
- Generally effective even with reduced GFR
- Contraindicated if GFR <60 mL/min
- Only effective when combined with ACE inhibitors
Correct Answer: Generally effective even with reduced GFR
Q14. Which laboratory parameter requires frequent monitoring during bumetanide therapy?
- Fasting blood glucose only
- Liver function tests only
- Serum electrolytes, especially potassium
- Thyroid function tests
Correct Answer: Serum electrolytes, especially potassium
Q15. Bumetanide is contraindicated in which clinical condition?
- Controlled hypertension
- Anuria (absence of urine production)
- Osteoarthritis
- Mild seasonal allergies
Correct Answer: Anuria (absence of urine production)
Q16. What is the usual pregnancy classification advice for bumetanide?
- Category A — safe in pregnancy
- Category B — no risk shown in humans
- Category C — use only if potential benefit justifies risk
- Category X — contraindicated in pregnancy
Correct Answer: Category C — use only if potential benefit justifies risk
Q17. Why does bumetanide increase the risk of digoxin toxicity?
- It directly inhibits digoxin metabolism
- It increases digoxin renal clearance
- Hypokalemia caused by bumetanide sensitizes the myocardium to digoxin
- It competes with digoxin for plasma protein binding sites
Correct Answer: Hypokalemia caused by bumetanide sensitizes the myocardium to digoxin
Q18. The typical onset of action after oral administration of bumetanide is:
- 5–10 minutes
- 30–60 minutes
- 4–6 hours
- 24 hours
Correct Answer: 30–60 minutes
Q19. The onset of diuretic action after intravenous bumetanide is approximately:
- Less than 1 minute
- About 5 minutes
- 1–2 hours
- 6–8 hours
Correct Answer: About 5 minutes
Q20. A common oral dosing range for bumetanide in adults is:
- 0.5–2 mg daily
- 20–40 mg daily
- 50–200 mg daily
- 500–1000 mg daily
Correct Answer: 0.5–2 mg daily
Q21. Bumetanide can cause which acid–base disturbance?
- Metabolic acidosis
- Respiratory acidosis
- Metabolic alkalosis
- Respiratory alkalosis
Correct Answer: Metabolic alkalosis
Q22. The natriuretic effect of bumetanide is due to:
- Increased aldosterone secretion
- Enhanced sodium reabsorption in proximal tubule
- Blockade of sodium reabsorption in the thick ascending limb
- Inhibition of water channels in the collecting duct
Correct Answer: Blockade of sodium reabsorption in the thick ascending limb
Q23. For hypertension management, bumetanide is:
- First‑line agent for uncomplicated hypertension
- Rarely used and has no role in hypertension
- Not first‑line; used in resistant hypertension or volume overload
- Preferred in pregnancy for blood pressure control
Correct Answer: Not first‑line; used in resistant hypertension or volume overload
Q24. In patients with a documented sulfonamide allergy, bumetanide should be:
- Administered routinely without concern
- Avoided entirely in all cases
- Used with caution due to possible cross‑reactivity
- Preferred over thiazides
Correct Answer: Used with caution due to possible cross‑reactivity
Q25. Bumetanide typically affects magnesium balance by:
- Decreasing urinary magnesium excretion
- Increasing urinary magnesium excretion, risking hypomagnesemia
- Causing hypermagnesemia through renal retention
- No significant effect on magnesium
Correct Answer: Increasing urinary magnesium excretion, risking hypomagnesemia
Q26. Which laboratory trend suggests overdiuresis or intravascular volume depletion with bumetanide?
- Decreasing blood urea nitrogen (BUN) with stable creatinine
- Rising BUN and creatinine indicating prerenal azotemia
- Markedly reduced serum uric acid
- Improved potassium and sodium levels
Correct Answer: Rising BUN and creatinine indicating prerenal azotemia
Q27. Which statement correctly contrasts loop diuretics (like bumetanide) with thiazide diuretics?
- Loop diuretics inhibit NCC in the distal tubule; thiazides inhibit NKCC2
- Both act primarily at the collecting duct
- Loop diuretics inhibit NKCC2 in TAL; thiazides inhibit NCC in distal tubule
- Thiazides are more effective than loops at very low GFR
Correct Answer: Loop diuretics inhibit NKCC2 in TAL; thiazides inhibit NCC in distal tubule
Q28. In acute hypercalcemia, bumetanide can be useful when combined with saline because it:
- Increases renal calcium excretion
- Enhances intestinal calcium absorption
- Directly binds circulating calcium
- Suppresses parathyroid hormone immediately
Correct Answer: Increases renal calcium excretion
Q29. Bumetanide is characterized by which of the following protein binding properties?
- Not protein bound (<10%)
- Moderately protein bound (30–50%)
- Highly protein bound (~95%)
- Irreversibly bound to plasma proteins
Correct Answer: Highly protein bound (~95%)
Q30. When high doses of bumetanide or combination therapy with ototoxic drugs is required, what monitoring is recommended?
- Serial audiometry and hearing assessment
- Daily chest X‑ray
- Weekly liver biopsy
- No special monitoring is necessary
Correct Answer: Serial audiometry and hearing assessment

I am a Registered Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and the founder of PharmacyFreak.com. I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Science and Research. With a strong academic foundation and practical knowledge, I am committed to providing accurate, easy-to-understand content to support pharmacy students and professionals. My aim is to make complex pharmaceutical concepts accessible and useful for real-world application.
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