Acetazolamide (trade name Diamox) is an inhibitor of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase.
Physiology
Administration of acetazolamide slows the reaction CO2 + H2O = H+ + HCO3-. Inhibition of carbonic anhydrase reduces the production of Cerebrospinal fluid, which is why acetazolamide is used in specific situations for the conservative treatment of Intracranial pressure . However, the intracranial pressure-lowering effect of acetazolamide develops slowly and is therefore not suitable for emergency situations.
Neurosurgical relevance
In neurosurgery, acetazolamide is used, for example, for the pharmacological treatment of Pseudotumor cerebri[^1] [^2] or in the acetazolamide challenge to measure cerebrovascular reserve capacity[^3].
