PATHOPHYSIOLOGY LATEST
EXAM 2026
Renal Calculi (Renal Stones) - answer-Goals of Treatment:
Manage acute pain
Promote passage of stone
Reduce size of stone
Prevent new stone formation
Chronic Renal Failure - answer-Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is
a progressive loss of renal function associated with systemic
disease such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus (most significant
risk factor), systemic lupus erythematosus or intrinsic kidney
disease
CKD stage is determined by estimates of GFR and albuminuria
Who is a candidate for dialysis? - answer-End-stage renal
disease (ESRD) is the final stage of CKD with the number one
cause being diabetes mellitus combined with hypertension. At this
point, the patient is completely dependent on dialysis to survive.
CKD is classified into five stages and is based on the patient's
GFR rather than symptoms.
Acute renal failure - answer-Reversible
Determining prognosis- kidneys respond to diuretic with good
output; this indicates that kidneys are functioning well
Acute Pyelonephritis - answer-Diagnosing by clinical symptoms
alone can be difficult; can be similar to cystitis
, Diagnosis established by:
-Urine culture
-Urinalysis (WBC casts indicates pyelonephritis, but may not
always be present)
-Signs/Symptoms
-Complicated pyelonephritis requires blood cultures and urinary
tract imaging
Patients will need dialysis when the following symptoms are
present:
--Metabolic acidosis.
--Hyperkalemia: Hyperkalemia in the presence of EKG changes
(peaked T-waves) is an indication for dialysis. --Hyperkalemia by
itself is not an indication for dialysis.
--Drug toxicity: Drug toxicity due to the following drugs is an
indication for dialysis and include salicylates, Lithium,
Isopropanol, Methanol and Ethylene glycol).
--Fluid volume overload that is not responsive to diuretics.
--Uremic symptoms due to nitrogenous wastes in the blood
stream.
Stage I CKD - answer-There is kidney damage with normal or
elevated GFR
90-120
Stage II CKD - answer-There is kidney damage with mild
decrease in GFR
60-89
Stage III CKD - answer-There is a moderate decrease in GFR
30-59
Stage IV CKD - answer-There is a severe decrease in GFR