Mrs. Bigda, a 60-year-old woman, was brought to the hospital by the police after falling to the pavement. She is found to have alcoholic hepatitis. She is put on a salt- and protein-restricted diet and diuretics are prescribed to manage her ascites (accumulated fluid in the peritoneal cavity). How will diuretics reduce this excess fluid? Name and describe the mechanisms of action of three types of diuretics. Why is her diet salt-restricted?

Video transcript

Hey, everyone. Let's take a look at this question together, Mrs Johnson, a 65 year old woman with hypertension has been prescribed diuretic medication by her doctor to help manage her blood pressure. She noticed an increase in her urine output after starting the medication. All of the following are effects of diuretics except which is it answer choice. A, a decreased water reabsorption. Answer choice B A decreased reabsorption of electrolytes. Answer choice C an increased urine output or answer choice D and elevated blood pressure. Let's work this problem out together to try to figure out which of the following answer. Choices are not an effect of diuretics. So in order to determine which of the following answer choices is not an effect of diuretics, we have to recall how diuretics affect the body. And we know that diuretics can affect the body by interfering with normal reabsorption of sodium chloride and other electrolytes. And as a result of that interference with the normal reabsorption, we know that it leads to a prevention of that reabsorption back into the bloodstream, which leads to a decrease in the reabsorption of water and electrolytes in the kidneys as well. As an increase in urine production, which would explain the increase in urine output that Mrs Johnson is experiencing. And since the doctor prescribed her the diuretic as a way to help manage her blood pressure, we know that that increased urine production is a way to help lower her blood pressure. Since the increase in urine output helps to eliminate excess fluid and reduce the overall fluid volume in the body. So looking at our answer choices, which of the following answer choice is not an effect of a diuretic. Well, answer choice A says a decrease in water reabsorption. And answer choice B says a decrease in the reabsorption of electrolytes, which we know that both of these answer choices are effects of diuretics. So they are both incorrect and answer choice. C says an increased urine output which we know is also an effect of the diuretic as a way to help lower her blood pressure. So answer choice C is also true. So it is an incorrect answer. Making answer choice D an elevated blood pressure as the correct answer. Since an elevated blood pressure is not an effect of a diuretic and lower blood pressure is the result of taking that diuretic medication. So answer choice D is the only answer choice that is not an effect of diuretic medication. I hope you found this video to be helpful. Thank you and goodbye.