Step Up - Diseases of the Renal and Genitourinary System Flashcards
AKI is also called?
ARF - Acute renal failure.
Types of AKI:
Prerenal - Decrease in renal blood flow (60-70% of cases).
Intrinsic - Damage to renal parenchyma (25-40% of cases).
Postrenal - Urinary tract obstruction (5-10% of cases).
AKI is oliguric, anuric, or nonoliguric?
It can be either. Severe AKI may occur without a reduction of urine output.
Most common clinical findings in patients with AKI?
Weight gain + edema - This is due to a positive water and Na balance.
AKI is characterized by?
Azotemia - elevated BUN + Cr.
Elevated BUN is also seen with?
Catabolic drugs (eg steroids), GI/soft tissue bleeding, and dietary protein intake.
Elevated Cr is also seen with?
Incr. muscle breakdown and various drugs. Baseline Cr level varies proporptionately with muscle mass.
Prognosis of AKI:
> 80% recover completely. However, the prognosis varies widely depending on the severity of renal failure and the presence of comorbid conditions.
MCC of death in AKI?
Infection - 75%. Followed by cardiorespiratory complications.
MCC of AKI?
Prerenal failure - potentially reversible.
What drugs should NOT be given in patients with decr. renal perfusion?
- NSAIDs (constrict afferent arteriole).
- ACEIs (vasodilate efferent arteriole).
- Cyclosporin.
ALL can precipitate prerenal failure.
Monitoring a patient with AKI:
- Daily weights, intake, and output.
- BP.
- Serum electrolytes.
- Watch Hb and Hct for anemia.
- Watch for infection.
Diagnostic approach in AKI:
- History + Physical exam.
- 1st thing to do is to determine the DURATION of renal failure –> Baseline Cr.
- 2nd thing is to determine whether AKI is due to prerenal, intrarenal, and postrenal causes –> Combine history, physical exam, lab findings.
- Medication review.
- Urinanalysis.
- Urine chemistry (FENa, osmolarity, urine Na, urine Cr).
- Renal US - To rule out obstruction.
Prerenal vs ATN - Urine osmolarity:
Prerenal - >500.
ATN - >350.
Prerenal vs ATN - Urine Na:
Prerenal: 40.
Prerenal vs ATN - FENa:
Prerenal: 1%.
Prerenal vs ATN - Urine sediment:
Prerenal: Scant.
ATN: Full, brownish pigment, granular casts with epithelial casts.
Studies to differentiate prerenal from intrinsic AKI - Urinanalysis:
Prerenal: Hyaline casts.
Intrinsic: Abnormal.
Studies to differentiate prerenal from renal AKI - BUN/Cr:
Prerenal –> >20:1.
Renal –> <20:1.
Studies to differentiate prerenal from renal AKI - FENa:
Prerenal –> >2-3%.
Studies to differentiate prerenal from renal AKI - Urine osmolarity:
Prerenal: >500mOsm.
Renal: 250-300mOsm.
Studies to differentiate prerenal from renal AKI - Urine sodium:
Prerenal –> >40.
Prerenal failure - Why Oliguria ALWAYS?
To preserve volume.
Prerenal failure - Why BUN-to-serum Cr >20:1?
Because kidneys can reabsorb urea.