Clinical Anatomy For Dummies. The meninges are the coverings of the brain. They protect the brain by housing a fluid-filled space, and they function as a framework for blood vessels. The meninges have three layers: the dura mater, the arachnoid mater, and the pia mater. The arachnoid mater is attached to the pia mater by arachnoid trabeculae, which is a weblike matrix of connective tissue. The space between the two layers, the subarachnoid space, is filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Potassium-sparing diuretics cause the kidneys to hold potassium in the body. When you are taking these medications you generally should not take potassium supplements because your potassium levels might rise too high. Treatments that combine thiazide diuretics (which cause potassium loss) and potassium-sparing diuretics can affect potassium levels unpredictably. If you are taking such a combination medication, do not take potassium except on the advice of your physician.
Loop diuretics constitute a family of drugs that remove water from the body. They are referred to as potassium-depleting, as they cause the body to lose potassium as well as water. Potassium-depleting diuretics also cause the body to lose magnesium. Loop diuretics are more potent than thiazide diuretics. They are used to lower blood pressure in people with hypertension and to reduce the amount of work the heart has to do, allowing it to pump better in people with congestive heart failure.