adult health Flashcards
Acute Kidney Injury & Chronic Kidney Disease
Acute kidney injury (AKI)
is an abrupt loss of kidney function. Typically reversible if treated before permanent damage occurs
Hyperkalemia:
Monitor clients with AKI and CKD for ECG changes caused by potassium imbalances.
Peaked T waves indicate hyperkalemia. Treatment for hyperkalemia includes polystyrene sulfonate
(Kayexalate), IV insulin with dextrose, or dialysis.
Fluid overload:
Monitor clients with AKI and CKD for signs of fluid overload, such as sudden weight gain,
crackles, and edema.
CKD dietary modifications:
Clients with CKD should
follow a low-protein diet (unless on peritoneal dialysis).
Fistula and graft care:
Assess for patency by feeling
for a thrill and listening for a bruit. Do not measure
BP or perform venipuncture in the affected arm.
Avoid foods high in:
Potassium (salt substitutes)
Sodium (canned goods, processed deli meats)
Phosphorus (meat, eggs, dairy)
Hemodialysis (HD)
HD requires surgical creation of an AV fistula or graft for access, where blood is filtered through a
machine intermittently (e.g., three times weekly) and
returned to the body
Peritonitis:
When performing peritoneal dialysis, monitor for cloudy peritoneal fluid, which indicates infection.
Disequilibrium syndrome:
Rapid fluid
removal can cause nausea, headache, or confusion.
Peritoneal dialysis (PD)
Dialysate is infused into the peritoneal cavity via a
surgically implanted catheter, where it collects waste
via osmosis and is then drained .
When caring for a client receiving PD:
Wear sterile gloves when accessing the dialysis catheter.
Warm the dialysate fluid before infusing using a warmer;
Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT)
CRRT uses a hemodialysis machine to filter blood
continuously instead of intermittently.
Only used for critically ill clients who cannot tolerate larger fluid shifts (e.g., hypotensive)
