Renal and Urinary Tract Diseases Flashcards
Narrowing of at least one artery that supplies the kidney is known as?
Renal artery stenosis
In renal artery stenosis, what happens after blood flow and pressure into the kidneys get reduced?
Activates the renin-angiotensin system, BUT cannot raise pressure within the kidney due to the stenosis
What is the function of Juxtaglomerular (JG) cells?
- Produce renin when arteriole pressure decreases
- Increases blood pressure
- Rate-limiting step for renin-angiotensin system
What is the function of the macula densa?
When arteriole pressure increases, there is less Na+ and Cl- reabsorption. This causes release vasoactive compounds to constrict arterioles and decrease GFR
What are the consequences of elevated arteriole pressure? (4)
- Increased pressure
- Increased fluid secretion
- Increased GFR
- Decreased reabsorption
What is the function of ACE? Where is it expressed?
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme
- Converts angiotensin → angiotensin II (AngII)
- ~70-80% in lungs, 20% in kidneys
What is the function of AngII? (3)
- Potent vasoconstrictor that directly increases blood pressure
- Stimulates adrenal glands to release aldosterone
- Increased blood pressure shuts off renin release
What is the function of aldosterone in the renin-angiotensin system?
- Promote Na+ and water absorption in the kidney
- Increases blood volume, thereby increasing blood pressure
What are the consequences of renal artery stenosis?
- Reduced blood flow and pressure into the kidney
- High blood pressure (renal HTN)
What are the treatment options for renal artery stenosis? (2)
Administration of ACE inhibitors and/or stent placement
What is nephrosclerosis?
- Sclerosis of arterioles and small arteries within the kidneys
- Caused by, and a cause of, hypertension
What glomerular changes occur in nephrosclerosis? (3)
- Glomerular basement membrane (GBM) damage
- Collagen in in Bowman’s space
- Fibrosis around capsule
Nephrosclerosis can lead to _____ of the walls of blood vessels in the kidney
Hyalinization
Malignant HTN is a frequent cause of ____ in patients with systemic sclerosis
Renal failure
What are the symptoms of nephrosclerosis?
- Unresolved (malignant) HTN
- In diabetics, increased risk of renal failure
What type of endothelial damage occurs in nephrosclerosis? What are it’s consequences?
- Fibrinoid necrosis
- Hyperplastic arteriolitis
- Results in protein leakage and development of clots; renal ischemia
Glomerular damage can be secondary to what other diseases? (4)
- Lupus
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Amyloidosis
- Goodpasture Syndrome
Primary glomerular diseases are typically ______
Autoimmune
What are the autoimmune causes of glomerular damage? (2)
- Circulating antigen:antibody complexes deposit in filtaration membrane
- Antibodies reacting against components of the filtration membrane
Nephritic syndrome refers to?
- Glomerular inflammation
- Proliferative changes and leukocyte infiltration
Nephrotic syndrome refers to?
- Podocyte injury
- Structural and /or phsyiolochemical alterations
- Damage to glomerular membrane results in protein leakage
How does nephritic syndrome present clinically?
- Hematuria
- Oliguira with azotemia
- Proteinuria
- Hypertension
What is oliguria?
Significantly decreased urine production
What is azotemia?
Increased nitrogen containing compounds in the blood (BUN)
What are the most common causes of nephritic syndrome?
- Acute postinfectious glomerulonephritis
- Rapidly progressive glomerular nephritis (RPGN)
- Immunologically-mediated
Describe the cascade of events that occurs in nephrotic syndrome following damage to the glomerular capillary walls.
Massive proteinuria → depletes serum albumin → hypoalbuminemia → reduces osmotic pressure → generalized edema → compensatory aldosterone secretion → hyperlipidemia and lipiduria