Pathophysiological Changes
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) occurs when kidneys are damaged over time and unable to filter wastes and maintain normal blood pressure (Ammirati, 2020). Risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, family history, and smoking. Pathophysiological changes include waste product accumulation leading to uremia, fluid retention causing edema and hypertension, metabolic acidosis leading to fatigue and muscle weakness, and bone weakening.
Abnormal Findings and Symptoms
Abnormal findings include increased blood urine nitrogen and creatinine, excess proteins in urine (proteinuria), blood in urine, and shrunken kidneys (Ammirati, 2020). Symptoms include fatigue and weakness from anemia, loss of appetite, itchy skin from toxin buildup, swelling in ankles and feet from fluid retention, shortness of breath from pulmonary edema, and high blood pressure (Kakitapalli et al., 2020).
Impact on Activities of Daily Living
Fatigue, muscle weakness, and shortness of breath make walking and climbing stairs difficult. Loss of appetite leads to weight loss and malnutrition, preventing stability. Swelling in ankles prevents walking or standing for longer periods (Kakitapalli et al., 2020).
References
- Ammirati, A. L. (2020). Chronic kidney disease. Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira, 66(Suppl 1), s03-s09. https://www.scielo.br/j/ramb/
- Kakitapalli, Y., et al. (2020). Detailed review of chronic kidney disease. Kidney Diseases, 6(2), 85-91. https://karger.com/kdd/article-abstract/6/2/85/186053
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