Question

Patient presents with uremia and Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) of 15. What state of CRF (Chronic Renal Failure) is this patient in? What should be the next medical course of action and why?

Answer 1

Uremia : Uremia is the blood poisoning resulting from the retention of waste products usually excreted as urine.

Glomerular filtration Rate: Glomerulus is a small intertwined group of capillaries within nephrons of the kidney that filter the blood to make urine. Glomerular filtration Rate ( GFR ) is the rate volume of blood or plasma filtered by the glomeruli per unit of time. Normal GFR is 90 or above 90 ( adults)

GFR - 15

Glomerular filtration Rate 15 indicates the stage 4 Chronic kidney disease. It indicates the primary state ( stage just before the complete kidney failure or renal failure) of Renal failure.

Medical course of Action: An individual with GFR at 15 should consult a nephrologist and start preparing for Renal failure and Dialysis or kidney transplant.

GFR 15 and uremia in 4 th stage of Chronic kidney disease indicates that the kidney is severely or moderately damaged . It is the final stage before the Renal failure. Accumulation of nitrogenous waste products ( urea, uric acid, creatinine) may cause other complications also such as swelling on hands and feet , high Blood pressure , bone diseases and anemia. It may progress to complete failure of functioning of Kidney or the Chronic Renal Failure.

Dialysis or a kidney transplant is an essential step to prevent fatality in Renal failure patients. Patient should be prepared for hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis is the use of Dialysis to remove waste products from the blood .

Peritoneal dialysis is a treatment for patients with CKD in which fluid are exchanged from the blood in the patient's peritoneum in the abdomen .