Ambulatory Care Nurse Certification Practice Exam

Thiazide diuretics are commonly used to treat conditions like hypertension and edema. One of the key effects of thiazide diuretics is increased urinary excretion of sodium and water, but they also lead to the loss of potassium. As a result, patients on thiazide diuretics frequently experience hypokalemia, which is a lower than normal level of potassium in the blood.

The mechanism behind this involves the way thiazides function in the nephron of the kidney. They inhibit sodium reabsorption in the distal convoluted tubule, leading to increased sodium in the urine. When sodium is lost, potassium is often lost as well as the body tries to maintain electrolyte balance. As a consequence, patients taking thiazide diuretics should be monitored for potassium levels, and supplementation may be necessary to prevent hypokalemia.

While hypernatremia, hyperkalemia, and hyponatremia can occur for various reasons, they are not directly associated with thiazide diuretics. Typically, they do not cause elevated sodium levels as they tend to excrete sodium, nor do they lead to an increase in potassium levels.