URINARY SYSTEM

What is the primary function of the urinary system?

Removes waste and helps regulate fluid and electrolyte balance

What are the major organs of the urinary system?

Kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra

What is the main function of the kidneys?

Filter blood and produce urine

What tubes carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder?

Ureters

What organ stores urine?

Urinary bladder

What tube carries urine from the bladder outside the body?

Urethra

What is urine?

A fluid containing water and metabolic waste products

What percentage of urine is water according to the course?

About 95%

What waste product results from protein metabolism?

Urea

What is creatinine?

A waste product of muscle metabolism

What is uric acid?

A waste product eliminated in urine

What electrolytes are found in urine?

Ions such as sodium and chloride

What is urinalysis?

Laboratory examination of urine

What can urinalysis help detect?

Diseases and abnormalities that may not have obvious symptoms

What is a UTI?

Urinary tract infection

What is the predominant cause of a UTI?

Bacteria

What is an ascending UTI?

An infection that enters the urinary tract through the urethra and moves upward

What urinary organ is a common target of UTI?

Urinary bladder

What is nocturia?

Frequent nighttime urination

What is oliguria?

Abnormally low urine production

What is urinary incontinence?

Involuntary urination

What is acute kidney failure?

Sudden loss of kidney function

What are possible causes of acute kidney failure listed in the course?

Burns, dehydration, hemorrhage, low blood pressure, and trauma

What are symptoms of acute kidney failure listed in the course?

Little or no urine production, swelling, confusion, coma, seizures, and nosebleeds

What is chronic kidney disease?

Long-term loss of kidney function

What conditions are listed as causes of chronic kidney disease?

Diabetes, hypertension, kidney stones, and polycystic kidney disease

What symptoms are associated with chronic kidney disease in the course?

Headache, seizures, confusion, fatigue, anemia, and abnormal heart or lung sounds

What is polycystic kidney disease?

An inherited condition involving cysts that enlarge the kidneys

What symptoms are associated with polycystic kidney disease?

Hypertension, fatigue, anemia, and heart murmurs

What is a 24-hour urine collection?

Collection of all urine produced during a 24-hour period

What type of container is used for some 24-hour urine collections?

A larger urine bottle

Why might a urine collection container contain a preservative?

To preserve the specimen for accurate testing

What information should be placed on a urine specimen label?

Patient name, date, time of collection, and collector's initials

Why should the genital area be cleaned before collecting a urine specimen?

To reduce bacterial contamination

What is a sterile urine specimen?

A specimen collected using a technique designed to minimize contamination

What is the purpose of a clean-catch urine specimen?

To reduce contamination from microorganisms around the genital area

What is an intravenous pyelogram (IVP)?

A procedure that images the urinary tract using contrast

What contrast medium is usually used for an IVP?

Iodine-based contrast

What should be checked before administering iodine contrast?

History of iodine or contrast allergies

What is a retrograde pyelogram?

A study in which contrast is injected into the bladder through a catheter

What structures does a retrograde pyelogram evaluate?

Ureters, bladder, and urethra