Use of oral mannitol in the oedematous patient

Oral mannitol 200 g. was given on 24 occasions to patients with intractable oedema (cardiac, renal, or hepatic) and produced a mean weight loss of 3 kg. The procedure was found to be a safe, rapid, and effective method of treating oedema, and it should be used when diuretic therapy proves ineffective, particularly in the presence of hyponatraemia.