A nurse is providing education to a client who has experienced recurrent kidney stones. The client asks, "What can I do to prevent future kidney stones?" What is the nurse's best response?

A. Thiazide diuretics do not directly increase the excretion of uric acid. They are primarily used to reduce calcium excretion and prevent the formation of calcium-based stones.

B. This is the correct answer. Thiazide diuretics help reduce the excretion of calcium in the urine, which can be beneficial in preventing the formation of certain types of kidney stones, particularly calcium oxalate stones.

C. Thiazide diuretics do not directly increase the pH of the urine. They primarily reduce calcium excretion.

D. Thiazide diuretics do not dissolve existing kidney stones. They are used to prevent stone formation, not to treat existing stones.

A. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) does not typically require general anesthesia. It is usually done under sedation or with the use of local anesthesia.

B. The procedure does not involve the insertion of a scope into the urinary tract. ESWL is a non-invasive procedure that uses shock waves to break up the stone from outside the body.

C. This is the correct answer. ESWL involves the use of high-energy shock waves that are focused on the stone to break it up into smaller fragments. The fragments are then passed out of the body through the urine.

D. A urinary catheter is not typically required after ESWL. The client may be encouraged to drink plenty of fluids to help flush out the stone fragments, but a catheter is not usually needed.

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