Chapter 24

red blood cells (RBC)

red blood cells (RBC)

masker up the majority of the cells in the circulation and give blood its characteristic red color

white blood cells (WBC)

critical blood cells that respond to infection and are major mediators of the body’s immune response

platelets

fragments of larger cells that are crucial to the formation of cots

clumping is also called

aggregation of platelets in the body’s most rapid response to stop bleeding from an injured site

plasma

liquid in which the blood cells and platelets are suspended. contains dissolved nutrients and also carries certain crucial proteins such as the clotting factors

there are certain medical conditions in which the normal ability to form clots can worsen the Pt’s disease; for example those at risk for

heart attacks or stokes or those with abnormal cardiac rhythms such as atrial fibrillation

for this reason, millions of pt’s are on prescription drugs commonly referred to as

blood thinners

anemia

lack of a normal number of red blood cells in the circulation

sickle cell anemia (SCA)

inherited disease in which patients have genetic defect in their hemoglobin that results in an abnormal structure of the RBC

sickle cell anemia can occur in pt’s of

African, middle eastern, or Indian descent but most common in African descent w

hat are the most common disease process that afflicts the renal and urinary systems

urinary tract infection (UTI)

kidney stones

made up of calcium and are formed within the kidneys. can cause flank pain that radiates to the groin area when the stone descends from the kidney and gets lodged in the ureter to pass into the bladder

urinary catheter

a drainage tube placed into the urinary system to allow the flow of urine out of the body

renal failure

loss of the kidneys ability to filter the blood and remove toxins and excess fluid from the body

kidneys can no longer provide adequate filtration and fluid balance to sustain life are defined as patients with

end stage renal disease (ESRD)

what type of pt’s are required to go on dialysis to survive

ESRD pt’s

on dialysis, who are treated in dialysis centers undergo

three treatments a week, each lasting three to four hours

only 8% of us dialysis patients treat themselves

at home with home hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis

end stage renal disease (ESRD)

irreversible renal failure to the extent that the kidneys can no longer provide adequate filtration and fluid balance to sustain life

dialysis

the process by which toxins and excess fluid are removed from the body by a medical system independent of the kidneys w

what is the most common form of dialysis

hemodialysis

what is hemodialysis

when a patient is connected to a dialysis machine that pumps his blood through specialized filters to remove toxins and excess fluid

ESRD pt’s on a peritoneal dialysis (PD) have a

permanent catheter that is implanted through their abdominal wall and into the peritoneal cavity

peritonitis

bacterial infection within the peritoneal cavity

what is the most common serious complication of ESRD patients on peritoneal dialysis

acute peritonitis

because ESRD patients lack the ability to rid the body of excess fluid, pt’s who have missed dialysis will often present with signs and symptoms similar to those scene in

congestive heart failure. these included shortness of breath because of fluid build up in the lungs and accumulation of fluids elsewhere, such as the ankles, hands, and face.

because PT’s with ESRD can no longer balance and clear excess electrolytes as well as

other toxins

pt’s who have missed dialysis may suffer from

electrical disturbances of the heart (dysrhythmias)

proper functioning of the heart’s electrical system requires that the balance of electrolytes in the blood stream be kept within

certain tight range

elevated levels of the electrolyte potassium are particularly dangerous and can result in

patient deaths from dysrhythmias

which organ is the most common on the transplant list

kidneys