Kidney diseases Flashcards
What are the functions of the kidney?
(Hall, 2021)
- filtration of blood and production of urine
- excretion of metabolic waste products and forgein chemicals
- glucogenesis
- secretion, metabolism, and excretion of hormones
- regulation of water and electrolytes, blood pressure, blood fluid osmolality and electrolyte concentration, red blood cell production
What is acute kindey injury (AKI)?
(Hall, 2021)
- abrupt decline in kidney function
- acute renal failure (ARF) is failure of the kiney requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) e.g. dialysis
What are causes of AKI?
(Hall, 2021)
- hypovolaemia/shock- due to low blood volume or septic shock, most common cause of AKI
- hypoxia- related to cardiovascular or repsiratory disorders
- drugs/toxins- effects the function of the kidneys, increasing prevalnce with recreational drugs
How is AKI classified?
(Hall, 2021)
By where the probelm occurs.
Can be:
- pre-renal: probelms before the kidneys
- intra-renal: probelsm within the kidneys that may effect the blood vessels, glomeruili, or tubules
- post-renal: problems after the kindeys in the elimination of urine from the body due to an obstruction
What is pre-renal AKI?
(Hall, 2021)
- hypovolemia leads to reduced blood flow and urine output,
- causes a reduction in blood pressure below 80mmHg. Once BP drops below this number there is a rapid decline in GFR which affects the kidneys ability to maintain function.
- due to reduced blood supply there is reduced oxygen supply to the kidney- hypoxia and ischemia may occur
- Prompt fluid replacement treatment may restore function by reversing the effects of hypovolaemia
What is acute tubular necrosis?
(Hall, 2021)
- sudden and severe impairment of kidney function due to the death of tubular cells within the kidney nephrons.
- caused by insuffiecient blood supply or toxins
- toxins could be drugs, iatrogenic toxins (substances that are introduced into the body as a result of medical intervention or treatment and have toxic effects), exogenous toxins or endogenous toxins
- pre-renal disease
How is acute tubular necrosis managed?
(Hall, 2021)
- normally the base membrane underneath the dead epithelium cells remains intact, allowing tubular cells to regenerate within 10-20 days
- supportive treatments like oxygen, drug therapy, fluids, and dialysis can be given as needed.
What is Rhabdomyolysis?
(Hall, 2021)
- muscle necrosis leading to the release of muscle fibres into the blood stream
- causes include: crush injury, collapse, stroke, arterial occlusion caused by medical treatment or self-induced
- can cause muscle pain, weakness, dark urine, electrolyte imbalance and kidney damage (AKI)
- pre-renal disease
What is intra-renal disease?
(Hall, 2021)
- usually affects either the glomeruili or tubules
- glomerular is usually autoimmune or drug induced, and can cause reduced or no urine output
- tubular is usually caused by drug use, can cause polyuria (excess urine production) and can progress to chronic kindey disease
What is post-renal disease?
(Hall, 2021)
- an obstruction, either complete or parital to the flow of urine, to, through, and out of the bladder
- leads to back up or urine in the kindeys and renal failure
- caused by benign (e.g. en;larged protstate) or malignant tumors,
What is chronic kindey disease?
(Hall, 2021)
- the presence of kidney damage for three or more months
- different from acute kidney injury which is a rapid decline over 2-3 days
- often associated with progressive and irreversible loss of functioning nephrons- symptoms dont normally occur until function is 70-75% below normal
How does the kindey adapt to the loss of functioining nephrons?
(Hall, 2021)
- increasing the use of the remaining nephrons (called hyperfiltration)
- hyperfiltration maintains relativley normal blood concentration of electerolytes and normal body fluid volume
- however this overuse on healthy nephrons is not sustainable long term and they will show damage
Does initial damage resolve in chonic kidney disease?
(Hall, 2021)
- in some cases, and recovery is good
- other cases there in ongoing progressive decline in function leading to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and kidney failure requiring dialysis or treatment
What are the clinical indicators of chronic kindey disease?
(Hall, 2021)
- increase in urinary albumin secretion equal to or above 30mg per day
- decreased kidney function is shown by estimatated glomerular filtration rate below 60mg a per minute per 1.73m2, the surface area of the average adult
- moniterng eGFR allows the stage and progression of the disease to be seen
Discuss the kidney function at different stages of chronic kidney disease.
(Hall, 2021)
o Stage 1 >90% normal
o Stage 2 90-60% mild
o Stage 3 30-60% moderate
o Stage 4 15-30% severe
o Stage 5 <15% kidney failure
What are the risk factors associated with chronic kidney disease?
(Hall, 2021)
- Diabetes- T1 and T2
- hypertension
- metabolic syndrome
- autoimmune e.g. lupus
- inherited
- age
How is chronic kidney disease managed?
(Hall, 2021)
- treating the reversible causes of chronic kindey disease- leads to recovery of kidney function
- prevent or slow the progression
- treat complications of CKD
- identify and prepare patients where replacement therapy is required- e.g. dialysis, transplant
- reducing modifiable risk factors- diet, smoking, weight control, exercise
How does dialysis affect patients?
(Alshraifeen et al, 2014)
- there is reduced quality of life and wellbeing in patients getting dialysis
- poor social support systems e.g. nurses not monitoring and supporting their pateints results in reduced quality of life. emphasises the importance of nurses role
How can nurses support those undergoing dialysis?
(Alshraifeen et al, 2014)
- Educating patients- about the process, what to expect during treatment, potential side effects and management of their condition.
- Providing reassurance and emotional support
- Assisting with procedures
- Giving nutritional guidance on how to manage symptoms and prevent progression of kidney disease
- Helping patients manage their medication
- Promoting self-care and helping patients to take an active role in their treatment
List some references for kidney diseases.
- (Hall, 2021)
- (Alshraifeen et al, 2014)