9.6 - Chronic kidney disease and renal failure Flashcards
What are the homeostatic functions of the kidneys? (3)
- electrolyte balance
- acid-base balance
- volume homeostasis
What happens to the homeostatic functions of the kidneys in kidney disease? (5)
- increased potassium
- decreased bicarbonate
- decreased pH
- increased phosphate
- salt and water imbalance
What are the excretory functions of the kidneys? (5)
- nitrogenous waste
- hormones
- peptides
- ‘middle sized molecules’ (molecular weight 2-5000Da)
- salt and water
What happens to the excretory functions of the kidneys in kidney disease? (3)
- increased urea
- increased creatinine
- decreased insulin requirement (low insulin clearance so more stays in system)
What are the endocrine functions of the kidneys? (2)
- erythropoietin
- 1-alpha hydroxylase (for vitamin D)
What happens to the endocrine functions of the kidneys in kidney disease? (3)
- anaemia
- decreased calcium
- increased parathyroid hormone
What are the glucose metabolism functions of the kidneys? (2)
- gluconeogenesis
- insulin clearance
In kidney disease what is there an overall increased risk of?
Cardiovascular risk increased
What does clinical presentation of kidney failure depend on? (2)
- rate of deterioration
- cause of kidney failure
How does rate of deterioration affect clinical presentation of kidney disease?
- slow rate of deterioration = body good at adapting e.g. some patients present with urea 50 (very low) but their body is used to it since it has developed over years so they do not feel unwell
- acute renal failure presents quicker as body has not adapted
How does cause of kidney failure affect clinical presentation of kidney disease - 2 examples?
- Goodpasture’s disease (antibodies against glomerular basement membrane) - may present with haemoptysis (lung involvement due to antibodies against lung too) –> blood test to find renal failure
- skin rash (purpura) –> blood test to find renal failure
What is the most important equation with regard to acidosis/alkalosis?
CO2 + H2O <–> H2CO3 <–> H+ + HCO3-
What do small shrunken kidneys on ultrasound indicate?
Chronic kidney disease
What is the first thing to determine about a patient that presents with kidney disease?
What is their fluid status? Hyper/hypo/normovolaemic (look at blood pressure and skin turgor to determine)
How does kidney failure affect salt and water balance (1), and what does this lead to (3)?
Kidney failure tends to REDUCE secretion of salt and water (increased amounts retained) leading to:
- hypertension
- oedema
- pulmonary oedema
In what kind of circumstances can salt and water loss be seen in? (3)
(Kidney failure tends to increase salt and water retention)
- tubulointerstitial disorders - damage to concentrating mechanism
- right after kidney transplant - damage to tubules and increased urine excretion
- kidney obstruction relief - kidney cannot concentrate urine and you get kidney failure
What can be a cause of acute kidney injury (AKI)?
Hypovolaemia
What does hyponatraemia mean (and what does it not mean)?
- hyponatraemia does NOT mean reduced total body sodium
- hypervolaemia - it has got to do with how much free water you have (more in hyponatraemia)
- to treat this, you may not want to give them salt but instead remove the excess free water
Describe how metabolic acidosis happens in renal failure.
- reduced secretion (and therefore excretion) of H+ ions which means you become acidotic
- cells take up this H+
- (the cells taking up the H+ also forces K+ out of the cells, leading to hyperkalaemia)
What does metabolic acidosis in renal failure do to K+?
The cells taking up the H+ also forces K+ out of the cells, leading to hyperkalaemia
What are the two causes of hyperkalaemia (in renal failure)?
- reduced distal tubule potassium secretion
- acidosis
What are the symptoms of hyperkalaemia (dependent on chronicity - more chronic, fewer symptoms)? (3)
- cardiac arrhythmias
- neural and muscular activity
- vomiting