APIC223882221 - CME/CMLE - Acute Kidney Injury-APIC223882221

APIC223882221 - Educational Activity

Pdf Summary

The educational commentary, authored by Dr. Barbara G. Sawyer, focuses on Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and aims to enhance understanding of the renal system’s structure and function, the causes and effects of AKI, and diagnostic approaches for kidney function. The renal system, vital for overall health, can be seriously affected by disruptions, leading to conditions like AKI or chronic kidney disease (CKD).<br /><br />**Kidney Anatomy and Physiology:**<br />- The kidneys filter blood, remove waste, and regulate fluid and electrolyte balance.<br />- Key structures include nephrons, which comprise glomeruli and tubules, facilitating filtration.<br />- Blood flows into the kidneys via renal arteries, essential for their function.<br /><br />**Kidney Functions:**<br />- They perform excretory functions by removing nitrogenous wastes, regulate water, ionic, and acid-base balance, and possess endocrine functions, producing essential hormones like erythropoietin and renin.<br />- Altered glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a marker of kidney health, and its reduction indicates kidney dysfunction.<br /><br />**Acute Kidney Injury (AKI):**<br />- AKI refers to sudden renal function loss, detected through serum creatinine levels and urine output, and can lead to CKD if unresolved.<br />- Causes of AKI are categorized as prerenal (e.g., blood flow issues), intrarenal (e.g., glomerulonephritis), or postrenal (e.g., obstructions like kidney stones).<br />- AKI commonly affects hospitalized patients, especially those critically ill, leading to complications in other organ systems.<br /><br />**Diagnostics and Treatment:**<br />- Diagnosis involves measuring serum creatinine, GFR, and urine output changes.<br />- Early intervention, adjusting medications, and addressing underlying causes are crucial.<br />- Current methods have limitations in specificity and accuracy, but ongoing research aims to identify better biomarkers.<br /><br />**Impact of COVID-19:**<br />- SARS-CoV-2 increases AKI risk in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, complicating treatment and management.<br /><br />**Conclusion:**<br />Understanding renal anatomy and function is critical for diagnosing and managing AKI, with ongoing research needed to improve diagnostic tools and biomarkers for better clinical outcomes.

Keywords

Acute Kidney Injury

renal system

kidney function

nephrons

glomerular filtration rate

serum creatinine

prerenal causes

intrarenal causes

postrenal causes

COVID-19