A nurse is caring for a client who reports to the clinic for laboratory tests. The client has an acute kidney injury caused by acute tubular necrosis and asks why their glomerular filtration rate (GFR) keeps decreasing. Which of the following pathophysiological changes occurring in the kidney should the nurse explain as the cause of the decrease?
The glomerular filtration rate decreases because there is injury to the renal tubular cells.
The glomerular filtration rate decreases because there is obstruction leading to the filtration system backing up and eventually shutting the kidneys down.
The glomerular filtration rate decreases because in?ammatory cells invade the already damaged kidneys.
The glomerular filtration rate decreases because there is a reduction of blood flow to the kidneys.
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A reason: Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) is a condition where there is damage to the renal tubular cells, which can lead to a decrease in GFR. This is because the tubular cells are responsible for reabsorbing substances from the filtrate back into the blood. When these cells are injured, they cannot function properly, leading to a buildup of waste products and a decrease in GFR.
Choice B reason: While obstruction can lead to a decrease in GFR, it is not the primary cause in the context of acute tubular necrosis. Obstruction typically occurs in postrenal causes of acute kidney injury.
Choice C reason: In?ammatory cells do invade damaged kidneys, but this is more characteristic of conditions such as acute interstitial nephritis rather than ATN. In ATN, the primary issue is the injury to the tubular cells themselves.
Choice D reason: A reduction of blood flow to the kidneys, or prerenal azotemia, can indeed lead to a decrease in GFR. However, in the context of ATN, the primary issue is not the blood flow but the damage to the renal tubules.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A reason: Metastasis refers to the process by which cancer cells spread from the primary tumor site to distant organs or tissues. This can occur through the bloodstream or lymphatic system, leading to the formation of secondary tumors in other parts of the body.
Choice B reason: This statement is incorrect because metastasis, by definition, involves the spread of cancer cells to multiple locations, not their confinement to a single area.
Choice C reason: The description provided in this choice is more indicative of metaplasia, which is a change in the type of cells, and not metastasis, which is the spread of cancer cells.
Choice D reason: This choice is incorrect as it does not describe metastasis. Cancer cells do not stop growing because they run out of space; they continue to proliferate and can invade other tissues.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: While a low-protein diet can help manage electrolyte imbalances, it is not specifically targeted at reducing the risk for hyperkalemia. Hyperkalemia is more directly managed by restricting foods high in potassium.
Choice B reason: A low-protein diet helps reduce the risk for uremia, which is the accumulation of waste products in the blood due to impaired kidney function. By consuming less protein, there is less urea and other nitrogenous wastes for the kidneys to filter, which can help delay the progression of kidney disease.
Choice C reason: Edema is related to fluid retention and not directly to protein intake. A low-protein diet does not specifically reduce the risk for edema unless it is associated with kidney dysfunction affecting fluid balance.
Choice D reason: A low-protein diet will indeed decrease the amount of nitrogenous waste in the blood because less protein breakdown means less waste for the kidneys to remove. However, this choice is less specific than Choice B, which directly addresses the condition of uremia that is a concern for patients with chronic kidney failure.
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