©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3:09PM.
PCT Fresenius Exam Questions And
Answers |Latest 2025 | Guaranteed Pass.
What are the functions of a healthy kidney? - Answer✔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? - Answer✔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? - Answer✔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? - Answer✔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.
1
, ©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3:09PM.
what is anemia and how is it treated? - Answer✔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? - Answer✔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 -
Answer✔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? - Answer✔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? - Answer✔seen within
the first half hour of treatment. sneezing, itching, pain at access site, chest pain, rashing, hives,
fever are symptoms.
alarm conditions - Answer✔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? - Answer✔50-70% of body is water. intracellular,
extracellular, intravascular, interstitial.
what is diffusion - Answer✔movement of solutes across semipermeable membrane from high
concentration to low concentration. solutes include urea, electrolytes, creatinine, drugs
what is osmosis? - Answer✔movement of fluid from lower concentration of solutes to a higher
concentration.
what is ultrafiltration? - Answer✔use of both negative and positive pressure to pull excess fluid
from the patient
2
, ©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3:09PM.
why is water used for dialysis treated? - Answer✔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 - Answer✔combination of chlorine and
ammonia
what is the diasafe filter? - Answer✔found on back of hemodialysis machine that allows for the
delivery of ultrapure dialysate.
what factors impact the rate of diffusion? - Answer✔concentration gradient, temperature,
molecular weight of solutes, nature of solution, membrane permeability, surface area, flow
geometry convection (solute drag-irrespective of molecular size, solutes are dragged along with
water across dialyzer membrane as long as solute can fit through pore "magnetic attraction")
what happens to diffusion when dialyzer fibers clot? - Answer✔diffusion is decreased. clotted
fibers cause permeability of the fiber to be reduced or eliminated.
at what point point during the hemodialysis tx will diffusion cease to occur? - Answer✔once the
concentration of each electrolyte found in the patients blood is equal to the electrolyte
concentration in the dialysate.
what is the largest factor that impacts ultrafiltration - Answer✔pressure
what happens when the dialysate flow is turned off during treatment? - Answer✔pt blood is
not cleaned and adequacy will decrease
what are the compartments of the dialyzer and what separates them? - Answer✔blood
compartment and dialysate compartment is seperated by a semi-permeable membrane.
potting material on both ends of dialyzer to assure separation of blood and dialysate
what is a semi-permeable membrane? - Answer✔A membrane made from protein, with small
pores or holes. Only certain molecules can fit through RBC and proteins are too large to pass
through the semi-permeable membrane pores. urea, sodium, potassium, and water can pass
through.
what is countercurrent flow? - Answer✔blood and dialysate flow in opposite directions. this
allows for better clearance and diffusion
what are three types of solutions? - Answer✔hypotonic=containing less particles
isotonic=containing equal particles
hypertonic=containing more particles
what is ph? - Answer✔measure of hydrogen ion concentration. normal blood is 7.35-7.45.
bicarbonate (HCO3) is a buffer that helps maintain constant ph to solution even if acid or base
is added. hco3 production is decrasesed in people with renal failure, healthy kidneys maintain
normal body ph by making and regulating hco3.
3
PCT Fresenius Exam Questions And
Answers |Latest 2025 | Guaranteed Pass.
What are the functions of a healthy kidney? - Answer✔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? - Answer✔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? - Answer✔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? - Answer✔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.
1
, ©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3:09PM.
what is anemia and how is it treated? - Answer✔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? - Answer✔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 -
Answer✔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? - Answer✔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? - Answer✔seen within
the first half hour of treatment. sneezing, itching, pain at access site, chest pain, rashing, hives,
fever are symptoms.
alarm conditions - Answer✔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? - Answer✔50-70% of body is water. intracellular,
extracellular, intravascular, interstitial.
what is diffusion - Answer✔movement of solutes across semipermeable membrane from high
concentration to low concentration. solutes include urea, electrolytes, creatinine, drugs
what is osmosis? - Answer✔movement of fluid from lower concentration of solutes to a higher
concentration.
what is ultrafiltration? - Answer✔use of both negative and positive pressure to pull excess fluid
from the patient
2
, ©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3:09PM.
why is water used for dialysis treated? - Answer✔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 - Answer✔combination of chlorine and
ammonia
what is the diasafe filter? - Answer✔found on back of hemodialysis machine that allows for the
delivery of ultrapure dialysate.
what factors impact the rate of diffusion? - Answer✔concentration gradient, temperature,
molecular weight of solutes, nature of solution, membrane permeability, surface area, flow
geometry convection (solute drag-irrespective of molecular size, solutes are dragged along with
water across dialyzer membrane as long as solute can fit through pore "magnetic attraction")
what happens to diffusion when dialyzer fibers clot? - Answer✔diffusion is decreased. clotted
fibers cause permeability of the fiber to be reduced or eliminated.
at what point point during the hemodialysis tx will diffusion cease to occur? - Answer✔once the
concentration of each electrolyte found in the patients blood is equal to the electrolyte
concentration in the dialysate.
what is the largest factor that impacts ultrafiltration - Answer✔pressure
what happens when the dialysate flow is turned off during treatment? - Answer✔pt blood is
not cleaned and adequacy will decrease
what are the compartments of the dialyzer and what separates them? - Answer✔blood
compartment and dialysate compartment is seperated by a semi-permeable membrane.
potting material on both ends of dialyzer to assure separation of blood and dialysate
what is a semi-permeable membrane? - Answer✔A membrane made from protein, with small
pores or holes. Only certain molecules can fit through RBC and proteins are too large to pass
through the semi-permeable membrane pores. urea, sodium, potassium, and water can pass
through.
what is countercurrent flow? - Answer✔blood and dialysate flow in opposite directions. this
allows for better clearance and diffusion
what are three types of solutions? - Answer✔hypotonic=containing less particles
isotonic=containing equal particles
hypertonic=containing more particles
what is ph? - Answer✔measure of hydrogen ion concentration. normal blood is 7.35-7.45.
bicarbonate (HCO3) is a buffer that helps maintain constant ph to solution even if acid or base
is added. hco3 production is decrasesed in people with renal failure, healthy kidneys maintain
normal body ph by making and regulating hco3.
3
