American Podiatric Medical Licensing Examination (APMLE) Part 1 Practice Test

The key idea is that treating salt wasting requires a drug with strong mineralocorticoid activity to promote sodium reabsorption in the kidneys, expanding extracellular fluid and helping regulate potassium. Fludrocortisone is a synthetic mineralocorticoid that acts like aldosterone, making it effective for replacing mineralocorticoid function in conditions such as hypoaldosteronism or salt-wasting forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. It is used specifically to restore Na+ retention and correct accompanying hyponatremia and hyperkalemia.

The other agents listed are primarily glucocorticoids with potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects, not adequate for correcting mineralocorticoid deficiency or salt-wasting symptoms, so they aren’t the appropriate choice for this indication.