Hemodynamics and Electrolytes Flashcards
Kidney Function
Regulation of fluid and electrolyte balance.
Regulation of plasma osmolarity.
Elimination of metabolic waste products.
Production of hormones (erythropoietin, renin)
Metabolism: ammonia genesis and gluconeogenesis.
Metabolic waste products eliminated by kidney
Urea, creatinine, urobilirubin, uric acid, and foreign substances (drug).
Hormones made/converted in kidneys
erythropoietin, renin
Vitamin D converted to active form for calcium homeostasis.
erythropoietin
Stimulates RBC production in bone marrow. Made in kidneys.
Renin
A proteolytic enzyme, made in the kidney and secreted into the blood. It converts Angiotensinogen to angiotensin 1, which is then converted to angiotensin 2 by angiotensin converting enzyme.
Renin-angiotensin system
Critical for fluid/electrolyte homeostasis and longterm blood pressure regulation.
Kidney blood supply
Renal arteries, 1L/min
Glomerulus
Part of nephron. Blood enters from afferent arteriole and exits via efferent arterioles. Glomerulus filters blood. It has a basement membrane that filters blood cells, proteins, and most macromolecules out of the filtrate.
Macula Densa
And area of the nephron where the distal convoluted tubule return to the glomeruli, making contact with the afferent arterioles. At this site are cells called Macula Densa. The Macula Densa cells sense tubular flow, and regulate GFR.
Proteinuria
Few proteins are filtered through the glomerulus due to membrane tightness and charge. However, those that are filtered cannot be reabsorbed and will appear in urine; proteinuria.
Glomerular filtration rate (GFR)
GFR is the standard measurement for kidney function. It is the amount of plasma that is filtered across all glomeruli in the kidneys. 100-125 mL/min is normal.
Plasma creatinine is used to clinically estimate the GFR, because it is produced at a near constant rate. When GFR is low, less creatine is filtered and serum creatine levels are high.
RAAS
The renin–angiotensin-aldosterone system is a hormone system that is involved in the regulation of renal blood flow, plasma electrolyte concentration and arterial blood pressure.
RAAS is activated by low renal blood flow (RBF). The juxtaglomerular cells in the kidneys convert prorenin into renin, which is then secreted directly into the circulation. Plasma renin then cuts a plasma protein known as angiotensinogen. The short peptide is known as angiotensin I is then converted, by the removal of 2 amino acids, to form angiotensin II, by the enzyme angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) found in the endothelial cells of the capillaries throughout the body. Angiotensin II causes arterioles to constrict, resulting in increased arterial blood pressure. Angiotensin II also stimulates the secretion of the hormone aldosterone from the adrenal cortex. Aldosterone causes the tubular epithelial cells of the kidneys to increase the reabsorption of sodium ions from the tubular fluid back into the blood, while at the same time causing them to excrete potassium ions into the tubular fluid which will become urine.
If the RAAS is abnormally active, blood pressure will be too high.
Angiotensin 2
Angiotensin 2 exerts direct and indirect effects on the GFR. It is a vasoconstrictor, and in the kidneys it acts directly on renal arteries and aff/efferent arterioles, increasing resistance and decreasing GFR.
ANP (atrial natriuretic peptide)
ANP is released by cardiac myocytes in response to stretch at high blood volume. To regulate GFR, ANP dilates the afferent arteriole and constricts the efferent arteriole, increasing GFR. This increases sodium and water excretion, thereby decreasing blood volume.
Sympathetic nerves and chatecholamines
Sympathetic nerves and chatecholamine secretion (norepinephrine and epinephrine) are stimulated in response to low blood pressure and cause vasoconstriction of the renal arteries and arterioles, thus decreasing GFR. This systemic regulation can be counterbalanced by intrarenal systems, if necessary, to maintain RBF and GFR while the sympathetic system is acting to increase blood pressure.
Intrarenal Prostaglandins
Intrarenal Prostaglandins are vasodilators and act to counteract RAAS vasoconstriction. They act at the level of renal arterioles. NSAIDs will block Infrarenal Prostaglandins, restricting the compensatory vasodilation.
Bowman’s capsule
Bowman’s capsule is a cup-like sack at the beginning of the tubular component of a nephron in the kidney that performs the first step in the filtration of blood to form urine. Glomerular filtrate from blood is filtered by the glomerulus and collected in the Bowman’s capsule and further processed along the nephron to form urine.
Reabsorption
The process by which the nephrons reabsorb the majority of glucose, ions and water from the filtrate. Mostly occurs in the proximal tubule. The distal site do fine-tuning.
Proximal tubule (PT)
The majority of reabsorption occurs here. It is composed of three segments S1-3, each going deeper into the cortex/medulla. Mitochondria in the PT cells decreases as it the PT progresses, consistent with the amount of ATP required for active transport.
Absorbs 100% of glucose and AAs.
65-80% of NA, K, Cl, Phosphate, and H20.
