Question

Allopurinol is reserved in treating uric acid stone treatment until:

a) Patient develops acute kidney injury
b) Patient has recurrent stone formation despite dietary changes
c) Patient experiences severe gastrointestinal side effects from other medications
d) Patient refuses other treatment options

Answer 1

Allopurinol is reserved for treating uric acid stones when a patient has recurrent stone formation despite having made necessary dietary changes to reduce uric acid levels.

Step-by-step explanation:

Allopurinol is a medication that is used in the treatment of conditions associated with high levels of uric acid, such as gout, and is effective in preventing the formation of uric acid stones. Gout is a condition where uric acid crystals accumulate in the joints, causing pain and inflammation. Uric acid stones comprise about 5-10% of all kidney stones and can form under conditions where the blood levels of uric acid are high and the urine is excessively acidic. Allopurinol functions by competitively inhibiting the enzyme xanthine oxidase, which decreases the production of uric acid in the body.

In the context of treating uric acid stones, allopurinol is reserved for cases where recurrent stone formation occurs, despite dietary changes aimed at reducing uric acid levels. While there are other indications to use allopurinol, specifically for the given scenario, it would be considered when a patient has recurrent stone formation despite dietary modifications.