PCT FRESENIUS EXAM QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
LATEST UPDATE 2024-2025 (VERIFIED
ANSWERS)
What are the functions of a healthy kidney? CORRECT>>- REGULATE,
SYNTHESIS, ENDOCRINE:
Regulate fluid balance, blood volume, electrolytes, acid-base balance, synthesize
calcitrol (active vitamin D), secrete erythropoietin and release renin
what is the glomerular filtration rate in the five stages of kidney disease?
CORRECT>>- flow rate of filtered fluid through the kidney
stage 1: 90+
stage 2:60-89
stage 3: 30-59
stage 4: 15-29
stage 5: <15
what are the types and stages of kidney failure? CORRECT>>- acute renal failure:
sudden onset, severe, usually reversible. can be caused by drug toxicity,
dehydration, or motor vehicle accident
Chronic renal failure: slow onset, progressive, permanent. can be caused by
diabetes, hypertension, or genetic disease such as glomerulonephritis or
nephrosclerosis
what are the signs and symptoms of renal failure or uremia? CORRECT>>-
elevated serum levels of BUN/Creatinine, phosphorus, potassium. anemia, nerve
damage, yellow-gray appearance of skin, fluid overload, dyspnea, edema,
hypertension, proteinuria, uremia, lethargy, weakness, headache, itching,
fatigue, nausea restlessness, mental change, loss of appetite.
what is anemia and how is it treated? CORRECT>>- lack of RBC (decreased or
lack of erythropoietin production). iron binds with hemoglobin in RBC and
transports oxygen. it is treated using erythropoieting stimulating agents and
usually administered IV.
which of the functions of healthy kidneys are replaced by dialysis? CORRECT>>-
removal of waste products and regulation of fluid balance. dialysis does not regulate
endocrine production
, list briefly and describe three modalities of treatment for end stage renal disease
CORRECT>>- Hemodialysis: uses vascular access to draw blood from patient and
send to dialyzer and into semipermeable membrane where diffusion removes waste
products and ultrafiltration removes fluid. provides approximately 15% of the normal
function of the kidney.
peritoneal dialysis: continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis and continuous ambulatory
peritoneal dialysis. both types use permanent catheter in highly vascularized
peritoneal cavity. dialysate is infused into peritoneal space and allowed to dwell and
then drained. excess fluid and waste is removed through osmosis and diffusion
what is the difference between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialyisis? CORRECT>>-
Hemo: outpatient, dialyzer is used to remove waste from blood via diffusion and fluid
is removed through ultra filtration.
peritoneal: home setting, peritoneal membrane is the semipermeable membrane that
filters waste and fluid removal occurs via osmotic pressure and concentration
gradients caused by the dextrose solution and dwell times.
when is it known that a patient has developed sensitivity to a dialyzer?
CORRECT>>- seen within the first half hour of treatment. sneezing, itching, pain
at access site, chest pain, rashing, hives, fever are symptoms.
alarm conditions CORRECT>>- Blood: blood leak, air detector, venous/arterial
pressure, TMP. stops the blood pump therefor blood is not cleaned and no
ultrafiltration. potential for clotting due to stagnant blood
Dialysate: conductivity high/low, temperature. dialysate goes into bypass so no
cleaning of blood. uf continues.
what are the body fluid compartments? CORRECT>>- 50-70% of body is water.
intracellular, extracellular, intravascular, interstitial.
what is diffusion CORRECT>>- movement of solutes across semipermeable
membrane from high concentration to low concentration. solutes include urea,
electrolytes, creatinine, drugs
what is osmosis? CORRECT>>- movement of fluid from lower concentration of
solutes to a higher concentration.
what is ultrafiltration? CORRECT>>- use of both negative and positive pressure to
pull excess fluid from the patient
why is water used for dialysis treated? CORRECT>>- water contains contaminants,
electrolytes, and impurities. these must be removed bc the patients are exposed to
large volumes of water during tx
what is chloramine and how is it different from chlorine CORRECT>>- combination
of chlorine and ammonia
what is the diasafe filter? CORRECT>>- found on back of hemodialysis machine
that allows for the delivery of ultrapure dialysate.
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
LATEST UPDATE 2024-2025 (VERIFIED
ANSWERS)
What are the functions of a healthy kidney? CORRECT>>- REGULATE,
SYNTHESIS, ENDOCRINE:
Regulate fluid balance, blood volume, electrolytes, acid-base balance, synthesize
calcitrol (active vitamin D), secrete erythropoietin and release renin
what is the glomerular filtration rate in the five stages of kidney disease?
CORRECT>>- flow rate of filtered fluid through the kidney
stage 1: 90+
stage 2:60-89
stage 3: 30-59
stage 4: 15-29
stage 5: <15
what are the types and stages of kidney failure? CORRECT>>- acute renal failure:
sudden onset, severe, usually reversible. can be caused by drug toxicity,
dehydration, or motor vehicle accident
Chronic renal failure: slow onset, progressive, permanent. can be caused by
diabetes, hypertension, or genetic disease such as glomerulonephritis or
nephrosclerosis
what are the signs and symptoms of renal failure or uremia? CORRECT>>-
elevated serum levels of BUN/Creatinine, phosphorus, potassium. anemia, nerve
damage, yellow-gray appearance of skin, fluid overload, dyspnea, edema,
hypertension, proteinuria, uremia, lethargy, weakness, headache, itching,
fatigue, nausea restlessness, mental change, loss of appetite.
what is anemia and how is it treated? CORRECT>>- lack of RBC (decreased or
lack of erythropoietin production). iron binds with hemoglobin in RBC and
transports oxygen. it is treated using erythropoieting stimulating agents and
usually administered IV.
which of the functions of healthy kidneys are replaced by dialysis? CORRECT>>-
removal of waste products and regulation of fluid balance. dialysis does not regulate
endocrine production
, list briefly and describe three modalities of treatment for end stage renal disease
CORRECT>>- Hemodialysis: uses vascular access to draw blood from patient and
send to dialyzer and into semipermeable membrane where diffusion removes waste
products and ultrafiltration removes fluid. provides approximately 15% of the normal
function of the kidney.
peritoneal dialysis: continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis and continuous ambulatory
peritoneal dialysis. both types use permanent catheter in highly vascularized
peritoneal cavity. dialysate is infused into peritoneal space and allowed to dwell and
then drained. excess fluid and waste is removed through osmosis and diffusion
what is the difference between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialyisis? CORRECT>>-
Hemo: outpatient, dialyzer is used to remove waste from blood via diffusion and fluid
is removed through ultra filtration.
peritoneal: home setting, peritoneal membrane is the semipermeable membrane that
filters waste and fluid removal occurs via osmotic pressure and concentration
gradients caused by the dextrose solution and dwell times.
when is it known that a patient has developed sensitivity to a dialyzer?
CORRECT>>- seen within the first half hour of treatment. sneezing, itching, pain
at access site, chest pain, rashing, hives, fever are symptoms.
alarm conditions CORRECT>>- Blood: blood leak, air detector, venous/arterial
pressure, TMP. stops the blood pump therefor blood is not cleaned and no
ultrafiltration. potential for clotting due to stagnant blood
Dialysate: conductivity high/low, temperature. dialysate goes into bypass so no
cleaning of blood. uf continues.
what are the body fluid compartments? CORRECT>>- 50-70% of body is water.
intracellular, extracellular, intravascular, interstitial.
what is diffusion CORRECT>>- movement of solutes across semipermeable
membrane from high concentration to low concentration. solutes include urea,
electrolytes, creatinine, drugs
what is osmosis? CORRECT>>- movement of fluid from lower concentration of
solutes to a higher concentration.
what is ultrafiltration? CORRECT>>- use of both negative and positive pressure to
pull excess fluid from the patient
why is water used for dialysis treated? CORRECT>>- water contains contaminants,
electrolytes, and impurities. these must be removed bc the patients are exposed to
large volumes of water during tx
what is chloramine and how is it different from chlorine CORRECT>>- combination
of chlorine and ammonia
what is the diasafe filter? CORRECT>>- found on back of hemodialysis machine
that allows for the delivery of ultrapure dialysate.
