Urease inhibitors for kidney stones

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Urease inhibitors dissolve crystals and struvite kidney stones and prevent the formation of new crystals in the urine.

Urease inhibitors are used to dissolve kidney stones (including struvite stones), prevent crystals from forming new kidney stones, and treat urinary tract infections.

Urease inhibitors have been shown to keep some struvite stones from coming back.¹

Side effects of urease inhibitors include:

• Headache.
• Depression.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Diarrhea or constipation.
• Skin rash.
• Excessive sweating (diaphoresis).
• Hemolytic anemia.
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
• Pulmonary embolism (PE).

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

Usually, urease inhibitors are used only if you cannot remove the stones by other methods.

You should not take iron supplements or vitamins containing iron while taking urease inhibitors.

Do not use urease inhibitors if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor if you are or might be pregnant.

Complete the new medication information form (PDF) (What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.

Citations

1. Spector DA (2007). Urinary stones. In NH Fiebach et al., eds., Principles of Ambulatory Medicine, 7th ed., pp. 754–766. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.