A 52 year old male presents to his physician with a chief complaint of a substantial increase in the size of his breasts over the past few months. Three months ago he was diagnosed with hypeension, and placed on antihypeensive medication. Which of the following medications was most likely prescribed?
High-Yield Explanation
All of the medications listed as answer choices can be effectively used in the treatment of hypeension. Spironolactone is a "potassium-sparing" diuretic that exes its action primarily as a competitive inhibitor of aldosterone receptors in the distal nephron. One of the repoed side effects of spironolactone is gynecomastia. None of the other choices have gynecomastia as a side effect. Captopril is an angiotensin-conveing enzyme (ACE) inhibitor that causes a decrease in plasma angiotensin II concentration, resulting in decreased aldosterone secretion. Furosemide is a "loop diuretic" that acts by inhibiting the reabsorption of sodium and chloride ions in the loop of Henle as well as in the proximal and distal renal tubules. Hydrochlorothiazide is a "thiazide diuretic" that inhibits the reabsorption of sodium and chloride ions in the distal renal tubules. Ref: Snyder P.J. (2011). Chapter 41. Androgens. In B.C. Knollmann (Ed), Goodman & Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 12e.