Final answer:
The correct option is c.
Joyce was given bumetanide, a loop diuretic medication, which acts on the ascending limb of the loop of Henle to inhibit Na+ and Cl- reabsorption, leading to increased urine production to reduce edema.
Step-by-step explanation:
Joyce was given bumetanide, which is a type of loop diuretic medication. Loop diuretics act on the ascending limb of the loop of Henle in the nephron of the kidney. They work by inhibiting the reabsorption of sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl-) ions, which leads to an increase in urine production, thereby reducing the volume of fluid in the body and decreasing edema associated with heart failure. By preventing the reabsorption of these ions, loop diuretics also prevent water reabsorption, which results in diuresis (increased urine output).
This mechanism is different from other types of diuretics like potassium-sparing, osmotic, and thiazide diuretics, each of which has a unique mode of action and site of effect in the kidneys. Potassium-sparing diuretics, for example, avoid the excretion of potassium into the urine, which is not the case with loop diuretics. The increased urination that results from taking loop diuretics like bumetanide is why they are effective in treating conditions like hypertension and edema.