Approach to Azotemia & Acute Kidney Injury SA Flashcards
what are the functions of the kidneys (6)
- filtration of blood and excretion of metabolic waste
- acid-base balance
- water/volume regulation
- electrolyte & mineral homeostasis
- blood pressure regulation
- erythropoitin release
what are the presentations of kidney disease (8)
- PUPD
- inappetance/weight loss
- depression
- GI signs: vomiting/nausea/diarrhea
- ascites/subcutaneous edema
- hematuria
- pain
- abdominal mass
what is azotemia
abnormal increase in the concentration of non-protein nitrogenous wastes in blood
increased urea and creatinine
what does azotemia suggest and what does it not equal
suggests failure of filtration and excretion of metabolic waste but doesn’t equal kidney disease
what are serum urea levels affected by (8)
- species
- age
- liver function
- dietary protein content (including GI bleeding)
- endogenous protein catabolism
- hydration
- renal function
- LUT function
what does serum creatinine decrease with
- reduced muscle mass
what does serum creatinine increase with (2)
- reduced renal clearance
- urine excretion failure (ex. urinary tract rupture)
what is glomerular filtration rate
flow rate of filtered fluid through the kidneys
defines the excretory function of the kidneys
what reduces GFR (3)
- decreased renal perfusion
- decreased renal function (ex. fewer nephrons)
- obstruction of urine flow
why is urea not ideal for assessing renal excretory function (GFR)
affected by many other factors (variable rate of synthesis)
although freely filtered it is reabsorbed in the tubules and collecting ducts at variable rate
why is creatinine better at measuring GFR
produced at constat rate
freely filtered with no reabsorption
what are the limitations of using creatinine as a measure of GFR (3)
- azotemia doesn’t develop until GFR has decreased to 25%
- relationship between creatinine & GFR is not linear and the change in serum creatinine must be considered in the light of the starting value
- doesn’t tell you why GFR has fallen
what does creatinine not discriminate between (4)
- cause of azotemia (not specific)
- acute kidney or chronic kidney disease
- reversible or irreversible renal failure
- causes of renal failure
what is SDMA
symmetric dimethylarginine
where does SDMA come from and where is it excreted
from protein degradation
renally excreted
marker of GFR
what are the clinical signs of azotemia
azotemia is a biochemical change
not all azotemic patients have clinical signs
severity of clinical signs not directly proportional to magnitude of increase
rate of accumulation has an effect on severity of signs
what are the clinical signs of uremia (6)
constellation of adverse clinical effects that develops as a consequence of severe renal excretory failure
severity of signs depends on magnitude of excretory failure and rate of deterioration
- inappetance
- depression
- vomiting/nausea
- halitosis
- oral ulceration/stomatitis
- diarrhea
are all uremic patients azotemic
yes
are all azotemic patients uremic
no
what are the causes of azotemia (3)
- pre renal: inadequate renal perfusion
- renal: intrinsic renal failure
- post renal: post-renal obstruction or rupture of urinary tract
what are pre renal azotemia causes (3)
- hypovolemia
- hypotension
- aortic/renal thromboembolism
what are renal causes of azotemia (2)
- nephron damage
- nephron loss
what are post-renal causes of azotemia (3)
- ureterolith
- urethrolith
- bladder rupture
how do you differentiate the causes of azotemia
- history
- clinical exam
- urinalysis
cannot use magnitude of azotemia to determine its cause
if the patient is not drinking and azotemic what type of azotemia is it likely
pre-renal
if the patient is experiencing increased losses and azotemic what type of azotemia is it likely
pre-renal
if the patient is dysuric and stranguria and is azotemic what type of azotemia is it likely
post-renal
what could be the reasons of failure to pass urine (2)
- not producing urine (renal)
- can’t pass urine (post-renal)
if there is evidence of dehydration on clinical exam what would the cause of azotemia be
pre-renal +/- renal +/- post-renal
if there is a grossly enlarged bladder on clinical exam what would the cause of azotemia be
post-renal
if there is localized subcutaneous fluid around perineum or ventral abdomen on clinical exam what would the cause of azotemia be
post-renal
if there is free peritoneal fluid (urine) on clinical exam what would the cause of azotemia be
post-renal
if there is difficult/impossible to pass urinary catheter on clinical exam what would the cause of azotemia be
post-renal
if there is active sediment with tubular casts on urinalysis what type of azotemia
renal