Uro/Endo week: U&Es Flashcards
Components of U&Es
- urea
- creatinine
- sodium
- potassium
- estimated glomerular filtration rate
may sometimes include chloride and bicarbonate
Normal urea levels.
Causes of low urea.
Causes of high urea.
Normal: 2.5-6.7
HIGH: KIDNEY PROBLEM
- dehydration
- upper GI bleed
LOW: RARELY SIGNIFICANT
- old person
- diet
- low muscle mass
Normal creatinine levels.
What does the normal range depend on.
Normal: 50-120
Range depends on muscle mass.
Normal eGFR level
Normal: >90
accounts for age, sex, weight of patient
Normal sodium level
135-145
Symptoms and causes of high sodium
Symptoms
- lethargy, weakness
- confusion
- coma/seizure
Causes
- water loss (diarrhoea, vomiting, burns)
- too much saline IV
- diabetes insipidus
Symptoms and causes of low sodium
Symptoms
- nausea
- malaise
- headache
- irritability
- confusion
- coma
Causes
-improper fluid balance (high protein, high lipid, drugs, heart failure, liver disease, kidney disease)
Why must low sodium not be corrected too quickly
It may cause coning of brainstem
Causes of high potassium
- impaired distribution: DKA, acidosis, drugs
- decreased distribution: renal failure
- increased intake: transfusion
ECG changes with high potassium
- tented T waves
- flattened P waves
- progressive lengthening of PR/QRS intervals
Symptoms of low potassium
- muscle weakness
- hypotonia
- hyporeflexia
- cramps
- palpitations
- constipation
Causes of low potassium
- diuretics
- V n D
- Cushing’s
- steroid use
Best markers of kidney function
- creatinine
- eGFR
