Question

The APRN is giving a pathophysiology lecture to APRN students on renal blood flow, related hormones, and glomerular filtration rate. Question: What would be the most important concept of glomerular filtration rate that the APRN should address?

Answer 1

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a test used to check how well the kidneys are working. Specifically, it estimates how much blood passes through the glomeruli each minute.Glomeruli are the tiny filters in the kidneys that filter waste from the blood.
Firstly, RBF is relatively constant over a wide range of mean arterial pressures (MAP), through what is termed the myogenic response. An increase inhydrostatic pressure in the afferent arteriole stretches vascular smooth muscle, activating inward directed ion channels, leading to depolarization and contraction.
Glomerular filtration is caused by the force of the difference between hydrostatic and osmotic pressure (though the glomerular filtration rate includes other variables as well).

A blood sample is needed.

The blood sample is sent to a lab. There, the creatinine level in the blood sample is tested. Creatinine is a chemical waste product of creatine. Creatine is a chemical the body makes to supply energy, mainly to muscles.

The lab specialist combines your blood creatinine level with several other factors to estimate your GFR. Different formulas are used for adults and children. The formula includes some or all of the following:

Age
Blood creatinine measurement
Ethnicity
Gender
Height
Weight
The creatinine clearance test, which involves a 24-hour urine collection, can also provide an estimate of kidney function.