Question

Which patients below may be prescribed a loop diuretic based on their diagnosis? Select all that apply:*

A. A 58-year-old male with congestive heart failure.
B. A 69-year-old female with pulmonary edema.
C. A 45-year-old male with hypercalcemia.
D. A 50-year-old male experiencing a gout attack.

Answer 1

Loop diuretics are appropriate for a 58-year-old male with congestive heart failure, a 69-year-old female with pulmonary edema, and a 45-year-old male with hypercalcemia. They work by inhibiting sodium and chloride reabsorption in the kidneys, increasing urine output and reducing fluid overload and high calcium levels.

Step-by-step explanation:

The patients who may be prescribed a loop diuretic based on their diagnosis are: A 58-year-old male with congestive heart failure, a 69-year-old female with pulmonary edema, and a 45-year-old male with hypercalcemia. Loop diuretics, like Furosemide (Lasix), are medications that increase urine output by inhibiting the reabsorption of Na+ and Cl- ions in the ascending limb of the loop of Henle in the kidneys. This action is valuable in conditions like congestive heart failure and pulmonary edema where fluid overload occurs, and in hypercalcemia to help decrease high calcium levels in the blood.

For a patient experiencing a gout attack (choice D), loop diuretics may not be recommended as the first line of treatment because they can potentially worsen gout by causing hyperuricemia, a high level of uric acid in the blood, which can lead to gout exacerbation. Instead, management of a gout attack typically involves nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), colchicine, or corticosteroids.