Medications

For people who continue to form kidney stones after dietary changes, doctors can prescribe medications that prevent kidney stones. Medications commonly prescribed to prevent kidney stones include:

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Hydrochlorothiazides are a group of diuretics that are commonly used to prevent calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate stones. This class of diuretics decreases the amount of calcium in the urine by increasing calcium reabsorption by the kidneys. These medications are most effective in people who follow a low-sodium diet. For people taking a hydrochlorothiazide, potassium loss is a concern, and long-term monitoring of blood potassium levels is recommended. Approximately 30 percent of the people prescribed a hydrochlorothiazide need potassium supplements in their diet.

• Potassium citrate can be prescribed to boost citrate concentrations in urine. Citrate inhibits formation of calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate stones.
• Allopurinol can be prescribed to reduce the formation of uric acid in the body, which in turn can reduce the risk of uric acid and calcium oxalate stones.
• Prophylactic antibiotics can be used to prevent urinary tract infections associated with struvite stones.
• Penicillamine and/or captopril, thiola, or cuprimine can be prescribed to prevent cystine stones. However, some of these medications are not widely available, and they often are not well tolerated by the body. Therefore, their use must be closely monitored by a physician.