Chapter 34: Acute Kidney Injury and Chronic Kidney Disease

An 86-year-old female client has been admitted to the hospital for the treatment of dehydration and hyponatremia after she curtailed her fluid intake to minimize urinary incontinence. The client's admitting laboratory results are suggestive of prerenal failure. The nurse should be assessing this client for which early sign of prerenal injury?

Sharp decrease in urine output

A client has experienced severe hemorrhage and is in prerenal acute kidney injury. The nurse anticipates the client's blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine laboratory results will be in which range?

The BUN-to-creatinine ratio is 20:1.

A client with a diagnosis of end-stage renal disease received a kidney transplant 2 years ago that was deemed a success. During the most recent follow-up appointment, the nurse should prioritize the client for referral based on which statement?

"I'm feeling a bit under the weather these days and I'm a bit feverish."

With the increased risk of drug toxicity among chronically ill older adults, which statement by the nurse explains why the older adult's kidney is vulnerable to toxic injury?

"The kidney is rich in blood supply and can concentrate toxins in high levels in the medullary portion of the kidney."

A client is in cardiogenic shock following a massive myocardial infarction. The client's family asks the nurse, "Why are the health care providers recommending dialysis since its the heart that is sick?" Which response by the nurse is most appropriate at this time?

"When a person has a large heart attack and goes into shock due to heart failure, there is a decrease in renal perfusion which allows toxins to increase in the blood."

The nurse knows that a child with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may experience which manifestations? Select all that apply.

- Severe growth deficit - High bone turnover

Accumulation of nitrogenous wastes such as urea in the circulatory system is an early sigh of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The nurse knows that normal levels of urea in blood are approximately:

20 mg/dL (7.14 mmol/L)

Chronic kidney disease impacts many systems in the body. What is the most common hematologic disorder caused by CKD?

Anemia

A client has been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Which drug category is usually administered to treat coexisting conditions that manifest early in CKD?

Antihypertensive medications

The nurse is caring for a client who has had acute blood loss from ruptured esophageal varices. What does the nurse recognize is an early sign of prerenal failure?

Baseline urine output of 50 mL/hr that is now 10 mL/hr

A client with a history of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is experiencing increasing fatigue, lethargy, and activity intolerance. The care team has established that the client's glomerular filtration rate (GFR) remains at a low, but stable, level. Which laboratory assessments will most likely be prescribed to help determine the cause of these new symptoms?

Blood work for hemoglobin, red blood cells, and hematocrit

The nurse is caring for a client with chronic renal failure who is on hemodialysis three times a week. In order to treat hyperphosphatemia and hypocalcemia, which medication will the nurse administer to decrease absorption of phosphate from the gastrointestinal tract?

Calcium carbonate

The nurse caring for four male clients recognizes which client is at highest risk for developing postrenal kidney failure?

Client with prostatic hyperplasia

A client asks, "Why did my provider order a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) to my usual blood work?" The nurse's best response is based on the fact that GFR can estimate serum levels of which substance?

Creatinine

The nurse is instructing a client with advanced kidney disease (AKD) about a dietary regimen. Which restriction should the nurse be sure to include in the treatment plan to decrease the progress of renal impairment in people with AKD?

Dietary protein

Several urine tests can be useful in establishing a diagnosis of acute renal failure (ARF). The nurse must consider that fractional excretion of sodium can be particularly affected by administration of which type of drug?

Diuretics

Which dermatologic problem most often accompanies chronic kidney disease (CKD)?

Dry skin and pruritus

A client sustained acute tubular injury approximately 2 hours ago. Which cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) would the nurse suspect the client is experiencing?

Intrarenal

Vitamin D metabolism is deranged in clients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The nurse recognizes that which statement regarding vitamin D is correct?

Kidneys convert inactive vitamin D to its active form, calcitriol.

A client has a marked decrease in the glomerular filtration rate (GFR); lab values with high blood urea nitrogen (BUN), potassium, and creatinine levels; urine output less than 10 mL/hr; 3+ pitting edema in the lower extremities; and BP 170/95. Which phase of acute tubular necrosis (ATN) does the nurse identify the client is in based on assessment data?

Maintenance phase

A client with stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) is presenting with fever and chest pain, especially when taking a deep breath. The nurse detects a pericardial friction rub on auscultation. Which condition does the nurse suspect is common with this stage of kidney disease?

Pericarditis

While assessing a peritoneal dialysis client in the home, the nurse notes that the fluid draining from the abdomen is cloudy, is white in color, and contains a strong odor. The nurse suspects this client has developed a serious complication known as:

Peritonitis

The nurse knows that which sign is one of the earliest manifestations of acute renal failure (ARF)?

Polyuria

A client has an obstructive urine outflow related to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Due to the inability to excrete adequate amounts of urine, which type of renal failure should the nurse closely monitor for?

Postrenal failure

An 86-year-old client is being treated for dehydration and hyponatremia after curtailing fluid intake to prevent urinary incontinence. Given these findings, the nurse recognizes that this client is likely in what phase of acute kidney injury?

Prerenal

A client in renal failure has marked decrease in renal blood flow caused by hypovolemia, the result of gastrointestinal bleeding. The nurse is aware that this form of renal failure can be reversed if the bleeding is under control. Which form of acute renal injury does this client have?

Prerenal failure

The nurse recognizes that acute renal injury is characterized by which of the following?

Rapid decline in renal function

A client diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is experiencing nausea and vomiting. Which intervention would be most appropriate for the nurse to provide?

Restrict intake of dietary protein

The GFR is considered to be the best measure of renal function. What is used to estimate the GFR?

Serum creatinine

The primary care provider for a newly admitted hospital client has added the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) to the blood work scheduled for this morning. The client's GFR results return as 50 mL/minute/1.73 m2. The nurse explains to the client that this result represents:

a loss of over half the client's normal kidney function.

A client has developed renal failure with associated high serum phosphate levels. To avoid the development of osteodystrophy, the health care provider will try to avoid phosphate-binding agents that contain which compound?

aluminum salts

Skeletal disorders frequently accompany chronic kidney disease (CKD). The nurse recognizes which statements regarding bone turnover in CKD are correct? Select all that apply.

- In high bone turnover, there is both increased bone formation and increased resorption. - High bone turnover produces porous, coarse-fibered bone. - Metabolic acidosis of CKD can affect bone turnover. - Both high and low turnover present risk for fracture.