Kidney Dysfunction

Question 1

Risk factors for kidney dysfunction

Answer 1

Diabetes, hypertension, nephrotoxic medications

Question 2

Urine patterns that occur in kidney dysfunction

Answer 2

changes in amount/frequency, pain/burning with urination, duration of the issues

Question 3

Urine character

Answer 3

odor, color, foamy

Question 4

Urinalysis

Answer 4

examination of the urine, description of the character, microscopic analysis

Question 5

Normal urine characteristics

Answer 5

colorless, clear/slightly hazy, yellow to amber in color, pH of 7

Question 6

Abnormal findings in the urine

Answer 6

WBCs (bladder or kidney infection), protein (glomerular injury), blood/hematuria (infection or kidney stones), glucose, ketones

Question 7

Urea nitrogen

Answer 7

waste product from the liver breaking down protein

Question 8

Normal BUN levels

Answer 8

5-20 mg/dL

Question 9

Azotemia

Answer 9

increased BUN in the bloodstream

Question 10

What is increased BUN indicative of

Answer 10

decreased GFR, dehydration

Question 11

Creatinine

Answer 11

product of muscle tissue breakdown

Question 12

What is creatinine filtered by

Answer 12

the glomerulus

Question 13

Normal creatinine levels

Answer 13

0.5-1.5 mg/dL

Question 14

What is increased creatinine indicative of

Answer 14

decreased GFR

Question 15

What lab value is the most reliable indicator of kidney dysfunction

Answer 15

serum creatinine

Question 16

What do imaging studies provide information about

Answer 16

renal size and function

Question 17

What imaging studies can be done to find kidney dysfunction

Answer 17

ultrasound, intravenous pyelography, abdominal x-ray, CT, MRI, biopsy

Question 18

What is worrisome when using CT/MRI to find kidney dysfunction

Answer 18

contrast is nephrotoxic

Question 19

What is worrisome when using biopsy to find kidney dysfunction

Answer 19

kidney bleeding because kidneys are very vascular

Question 20

Diagnostics for kidney dysfunction

Answer 20

urinalysis, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, imaging

Question 21

What do medications maintain in cases of kidney dysfunction

Answer 21

pH, BP, RBC production, and fluid balance

Question 22

What is the last resort intervention for kidney dysfunction

Answer 22

dialysis

Question 23

Indicators of dialysis

Answer 23

persistent hyperkalemia, uncompensated metabolic acidosis, fluid volume excess, unresponsive to diuretics

Question 24

Peritoneal dialysis (PD)

Answer 24

peritoneum is filled with solution that pulls wastes and extra fluids from the bloodstream into the abdominal cavity

Question 25

What is peritoneal dialysis based on

Answer 25

diffusion, high to low concentration

Question 26

Steps of peritoneal dialysis

Answer 26

instill, dwell, drain

Question 27

Hemodialysis (HD)

Answer 27

blood is drawn out of the body, passed through a dialyzer to remove excess fluid and solutes, then returned to the patient

Question 28

What does hemodialysis do to the blood

Answer 28

circulates the entire blood volume through the machine every 15 minutes

Question 29

How often is hemodialysis done

Answer 29

3 times a week for 4-6 hours

Question 30

Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT)

Answer 30

a slow, gentle process that purifies blood done in the ICU

Question 31

How does CRRT work

Answer 31

it takes a small amount of blood and circulates it every hour for fluid to be pulled out

Question 32

When is CRRT used

Answer 32

for patients that are hemodynamically unstable

Question 33

Why is hypertension a risk factor for kidney dysfunction

Answer 33

constant high pressure can cause problems for the kidneys

Question 34

Why is diabetes a risk factor for kidney dysfunction

Answer 34

high circulating glucose causes problems for the kidneys