Which drug class inhibits sodium reabsorption in the kidneys?

The correct answer identifies loop diuretics as the drug class that inhibits sodium reabsorption in the kidneys. Loop diuretics, such as furosemide, act on the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle in the nephron. They specifically inhibit the sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter (NKCC2), leading to a marked increase in the excretion of sodium, chloride, and water. This mechanism effectively reduces the volume of fluid in the body and lowers blood pressure, making loop diuretics powerful diuretics used in conditions like heart failure, edema, and hypertension.

While thiazide diuretics are also diuretics that inhibit sodium reabsorption, they act on the distal convoluted tubule and are less powerful than loop diuretics. ACE inhibitors primarily affect the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system by inhibiting angiotensin-converting enzyme, thus reducing the production of angiotensin II and ultimately causing vasodilation and reduced fluid retention, but they do not directly inhibit sodium reabsorption in the kidneys. Beta-blockers work by blocking the effects of adrenaline on beta-adrenergic receptors, which can lower heart rate and decrease blood pressure, but they