7 Renal Function Flashcards
Why is urinalysis done?
- East to collect.
- Readily available.
- Avg. daily output is 1200mL.
What are the renal functions?
- Excretion of waste, drugs, and toxins.
- Fluid and electrolyte balance.
- Regulation of acid-base balance.
- Secretion of hormones.
How much blood is received by the kidneys?
~1200 to 1500 mL of blood per minute is received by the kidneys to filter.
What mechanisms facilitate filtration through the kidneys?
Facilitated by pressure difference and semipermeability of the glomerular basement membrane
What substances can pass through the kidneys and what is filtered out?
Water, electrolytes, glucose, amino acids, urea, creatinine, etc. can pass through, but large molecules like albumin and cells can NOT.
Glomerulus filters out 125 to 130 mL of a protein and cell free fluid called glomerular filtrate
What is the Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)?
GFR = Volume of blood filtered per minute by the kidneys.
Why does the nephron reabsorb substances and how?
Reabsorption:
Need water, sodium, potassium, chloride, glucose, amino acids, etc.
Active transportation to get back to the blood
If substance exceeds capacity then it will be excreted in urine
Think glucose renal threshold
What is secreted by the nephron and by what methods?
- If substance exceeds capacity then it will be excreted in urine
Think glucose renal threshold. Excess substances: Na, K, Cl, HCO3-, Ca, Mg, Phos, etc. - Secretes products of cellular metabolism.
- Excretion of waste, drugs, and toxins: Urea, creatinine, uric acid
Active and passive transport.
What is ADH and what does it do? What stimulates its release?
- Peptide hormone released by posterior pituitary
- Released in response to ↑ plasma osmolality or ↓ blood volume
- Stimulates water reabsorption: ↑ plasma water levels, Plasma osmolality returns to normal
What is Aldosterone, what regulates it and what does it do?
- Corticosteroid produced by the adrenal cortex
- Influenced by renin-angiotensin mechanism. Released in response to ↓ blood volume or ↓ blood pressure
- Stimulates sodium reabsorption:
↑ plasma sodium levels
↑ water reabsorption
Blood volume returns to normal
What role does the kidneys play in acid-base balance?
Conserves bicarbonates and removes metabolic acids.
What hormones does the kidney secrete?
- Renin
- Erythropoietin.
- 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3
- Prostaglandins.
What does the hormone renin do?
Renin:
↓ blood volume or ↓ blood pressure causes ↑ in renin
Results in ↑ angiotensin I > ↑ angiotensin II (vasoconstrictor) > ↑ blood pressure > ↑ aldosterone = sodium reabsorption and water conservation
What does erythropoietin do?
Erythropoietin
Hypoxia (anemia) causes ↑ in erythropoietin
Acts on erythroid progenitor cells in the bone marrow to ↑ RBCs
What does 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 do?
1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3:
Kidneys form active vitamin D which ↑ calcium in the body and modulates the skeleton by:
↑ intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphate
↓ renal excretion of calcium and phosphate
↓ PTH production
Regulates osteoblast function and bone resorption
What does Prostaglandins do?
Prostaglandins
Cyclic fatty acids that increase renal blood flow, sodium and water excretion, and renin release
Oppose function of renal vasoconstriction from angiotensin
What is in a renal panel?
Renal Panel:
- Urea and Creatinine
- Total Protein and albumin
- Osmolality
- Electrolytes: Na, K, Cl, Calcium and Phosphate
- Calculations: Urea/Creatinine Ratio, Creatinine Clearance, and eGFR
Is 24 hr urine collected with preservative or not?
Collect 24 hr urine without preservative.
What are the adult reference values for sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphate, and osmolality?
Sodium 40-200 mmol/d Potassium 40 - 80 mmol/d Chloride 110-250 mmol/d Calcium Male <= 6.9 mmol/d Female: <= 6.2 mmol/d Phosphate 13 -42 mmol/d Osmolality 50 - 1200 mOsm/kg
Review the purpose of each of these on slide 13.
What is increased protein in urine called? What can it indicate?
Proteinuria
Urine protein testing can be used to evaluate renal disease.
What are some case where proteins are seen in the urine?
Proteins that have been filtered by the glomeruli and not retained are excreted:
- Glomerular or tubular defects
- Can also be seen in cases of: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, vascular disease, neoplasia, and some infectious diseases
What is the preferred specimen for assessing total protein in urine?
24 hr specimen
What is the reference range for total protein in urine?
Total protein reference range: < 0..14 g/d
Why is albumin in urine used?
Albumin in urine can be an indication of kidney disease
Note: Trace or small amounts of albumin can be present normally with strenuous exercise
Further investigation required to determine cause
What is microalbuminuria?
Microalbuminuria –> Small excretion of albumin in urine
What is Overtnephropathy?
Overtnephropathy –> Persistent high levels of albumin in urine