Component 3.4 - Kidney Failure And Treatment

Question 1

How does diabetes cause kidney failure?

Answer 1

High glucose concentrations in the plasma results in glomeruli losing protein into the filtrate

Question 2

How does high blood pressure cause kidney failure?

Answer 2

It causes damage to the capillaries of the glomerulus preventing ultrafiltration

Question 3

What are the other causes of kidney failure?

Answer 3

Infection and crushing injuries

Question 4

How is HBP treated to prevent this?

Answer 4

Drugs to reduce blood pressure e.g ace inhibitors

Question 5

How does dialysis work?

Answer 5

• Blood and dialysis fluid are separated by selectively permeable membrane
• Dialysis fluid has same water potential as blood and same normal glucose conc of the blood but low ion concs and no urea
• Inorganic ions and urea diffuse out down conc gradient

Question 6

How does haemodialysis work?

Answer 6

• Blood is taken from artery and run through thousands of fibres surrounded by dialysis fluid
• Runs through machine in opposite direction (counter current)
• Blood is returned to vein

Question 7

What is continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis?

Answer 7

• The patient drains dialysis fluid through a catheter in the abdomen, into the body cavity.
• Membrane lining the body cavity and acts as dialysis membrane and has a rich supply of capillaries
• Materials are removed from the blood

Question 8

Why is CAPD better than haemodialysis?

Answer 8

1) Haemodialysis takes much longer

2) In CAPD the patient can walk around carrying on with normal activities

Question 9

What other ways are kidney failure treated?

Answer 9

1) Medication to control blood potassium and calcium levels
2) Lower protein diet
3) Kidney transplant