Renal Physiology Flashcards
(127 cards)
What is the kidney?
Bilateral bean-shaped organ which is reddish-brown in colour, is retroperitoneal and located in the posterior abdomen at T12-L3 which is responsible for filtration, excretion and blood pressure control.
What vertebral level is the kidney situated at?
T12-L3
What are the physiological functions of the kidney?
- Regulation of body fluid volume and osmolality
- Maintenance of ion balance
- Acid-base balance
- Waste excretion
- Vitamin D hydroxylation (25-hydroxycholecalficerol + 1a hydroxylase 1,25 a hydroxycholecalciferol (calcitriol))
- EPO
- Renin production
Define blood pressure.
pressure exerted by ventricles (circulatory system) against arterial walls
Give the equation for Blood Pressure.
BP = CO x TPR
Which factors affect arteriolar radius.
- Neural controls: SNS vs NO-releasing nerves
- Hormonal controls: AGT/Adrenaline/AVP vs Adrenaline/ANP
- Local controls: Myogenic response/Endothelin-1 vs Hypoxia/Potassium/Carbon Dioxide/Acid/Adenosine/Nitric Oxide/Bradykinin
List 4 hormonal controls responsible for vasoconstriction and vasodilation of blood vessels.
Which variable of the cardiac output equation does this affect?
Hormonal controls: AGT/Adrenaline/AVP vs Adrenaline/ANP
TPR
List 4 local controls responsible for vasoconstriction and vasodilation of blood vessels.
Which variable of the cardiac output equation does this affect?
Myogenic response/Endothelin-1 vs Hypoxia/Potassium/Carbon Dioxide/Acid/Adenosine/Nitric Oxide/Bradykinin
What is cardiac output?
rate of blood pumped out of LV into systemic circulation (L/min)
List the variables for Cardiac Output and the factors for each.
• Heart Rate:
- PSNS (Brake)
- SNS (Accelerator)
- Adrenaline
- Drugs
• Stroke Volume:
- SNS (increased)
- EDV (SNS veins/ BV/ skeletal muscle pump/ respiratory pump -> venous pressure -> venous return)
In the case of hypovolemia, outline how the RAAS mediates homeostatic changes.
• Hypovolemia ± low osmotic pressure -> reduced BP + increased Na+ -> macula densa detects elevated salts -> reduced baroreceptor firing = reduced SNS drive (= NA) -> renin release (kidney) = angiotensinogen (liver) -> angiotensin I + ACE (lungs) -> angiotensin II…
- Arteriolar vasoconstriction (TPR increases)
- Efferent glomerular arteriole vasoconstriction (maintain GFR and salt reabsorption)
- ADH secretion (AGT II binds posterior pituitary)
- Salt + water reabsorption via aldosterone release (AGT II binds zona glomerulosa of adrenal cortex = aldosterone release)
What mnemonic can be used to remember the effects of Angiotensin II?
Mnemonic: ‘Pressure to get 5 As’
Aldosterone release (zona glomerulosa)
Arteriolar vasoconstriction
Arteriole (glomerular efferent) vasoconstriction
ADH release (posterior pituitary)
Absorption (re-absorption): Proximal tubule
Outline the role of ADH in low blood pressure?
Is ADH more responsive to:
A. Hypovolemia
B. Osmotic pressure (increased osmolarity)
C. Hypervolemia
• Low osmotic pressure (increased osmolarity) ± reduced blood volume -> reduced BP -> hypothalamic osmoreceptors detect ∆ -> neuronal afferents to posterior pituitary gland = ADH/AVP released:
- Increased water permeability (renal collecting ducts) = increased blood volume + reduced urinary output
- Vasoconstriction = increased TPR
- Dipsogenic: Hypothalamic thirst center
B. Osmotic pressure (increased osmolarity)
What 3 main effects does ADH have to mediate changes in blood pressure?
Mnemonic: People Value Dipsogenesis
Permeability
Vasoconstriction
Dipsogenic
Outline how ANP functions in response to raised blood pressure.
• Increased osmotic pressure/increased blood volume -> increased BP -> detected by atrial cardiopulmonary baroreceptors in atrial cardia = increased baroreceptor firing -> ANP release -> afferent arteriole vasodilation + increased flow through vasa recta (reduce osmolarity of medullary interstitium) + increase collecting duct Na+ excretion -> reduce blood volume = reduce BP
- Natriuresis:
- Arteriole (afferent) vasodilation
- Aldosterone reduced (zona glomerulosa)
- Vasodilation (vascular)
- Fibrosis (anti-fibrotic)
State the mnemonic used to remember the effects ANP has on blood pressure.
Mnemonic: FAVourite NA
Fibrosis reduced
Arteriole (afferent) vasodilation
Vasodilation
Natriuresis
Aldosterone reduced
Outline the effect PGs have on renal control of blood pressure.
• Reduced BP -> Prostacyclin (PGI2) and PGE2 released -> afferent arteriole vasodilation -> increased GFR -> reabsorption of ions across nephron -> increase BP
Outline the effect EPO has on mediating blood pressure control.
Include the drive for EPO production.
State the site of production of EPO.
• Reduced blood volume (hypovolemia) -> reduced O2 availability ≈ Hypoxia -> HIF-2 -> EPO enhancer -> EPO production (kidney) -> increased erythropoiesis ≈ increased Hematocrit (increased MCV; reduced MCHC?) = increased BP
Kidney
Define Mean Cell Volume.
Give the equation for MCV.
State the three classifications for MCV.
• Average volume of RBCs
MCV = Hct/ RBC
- Microcytic (60-80fl): iron deficiency, thalassemia
- Normocytic (80-100fl): blood loss, chronic disease anaemia, renal impairment
- Macrocytic (100-120fl): megaloblastic anaemia, B12/folate deficiency, myelodysplasia
Should a patient have a MCV of 70fl, what MCV category is this?
Microcytic (60-80fl)
Should a patient have a MCV of 90fl, what MCV category is this?
Normocytic (80-100fl)
Should a patient have a MCV of 110fl, what MCV category is this?
Macrocytic (100-120fl)
What is MCH? Give the equation.
MCH = Hb/RBC
• Average mass of Hemoglobin per red blood cell
What is MCHC? Give the equation.
MCHC = Hb/Hct
• Average concentration of Hemoglobin per volume of red blood cells