Acute Kidney Injury Overview

What is one definition of acute kidney injury (AKI)?

What percentage of hospitalized patients are affected by acute kidney injury (AKI)?

Which condition is NOT commonly associated with acute kidney injury (AKI)?

What category of AKI is primarily caused by renal hypoperfusion?

What is a common preventive measure for prerenal AKI?

Which of the following factors could contribute to prerenal AKI?

How does sepsis influence acute kidney injury (AKI)?

What is the impact of the severity of acute kidney injury (AKI) on mortality rates?

Which of the following is a sign of acute kidney injury (AKI)?

Which of the following could potentially reduce glomerular perfusion in acute kidney injury (AKI)?

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI)

AKI is a life-threatening condition primarily in hospitalized patients.
AKI is characterized by a rapid decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR).
GFR decline leads to a buildup of nitrogenous waste products like creatinine.
AKI can occur with or without decreased urine output.
AKI often occurs alongside other conditions like shock and sepsis.

AKI Definition

AKI is defined based on changes in serum creatinine (SCr) and urine output:
- A SCr rise of at least 0.3 mg/dL within 48 hours.
- A 50% increase in baseline SCr within 7 days.
- Urine output of less than 0.5 mL/kg/h for at least 6 hours.

AKI Epidemiology

AKI affects 7% to 18% of hospitalized patients.
AKI impacts over half of critically ill patients.
Mortality rates increase with AKI severity.

AKI Etiology and Pathophysiology

Three main categories of AKI: prerenal, intrinsic, and post-renal.
All categories share common pathophysiologic mechanisms.

Prerenal AKI

Accounts for 10% to 25% of AKI cases.
Caused by renal hypoperfusion, which can occur from:
- Systemic vasodilation.
- Intravascular volume depletion (e.g., hemorrhage, dehydration, GI fluid loss, fluid depletion after surgery).
Early preventive measures like fluid resuscitation are essential to restore renal blood flow and prevent structural damage.
Conditions reducing cardiac output (e.g., heart failure, myocardial infarction), can impact blood flow and increase central venous pressure.
Sepsis and liver disease can also decrease effective circulatory blood flow, reducing glomerular perfusion.

This quiz covers the essential aspects of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), including its definition, epidemiology, and various categories. Understand the implications of GFR decline and the factors associated with AKI to enhance your medical knowledge. Suitable for students and professionals in healthcare and medicine.