Renal and Urological

Urinary System

Keeps track of electrolytes, water content, and acids of the blood; removes metabolic wastes, drug metabolites, and excess fluids.

Kidney Disease

A condition where kidneys fail, with an average of 15 Canadians diagnosed daily; expected to double incidence within 10 years.

Nephron

The structural and functional unit of the kidney, approximately 1.25 million found in each kidney.

Acute Renal Failure

A sudden decrease in filtration through the glomeruli, leading to toxin buildup in the blood.

Oliguria

A medical term referring to low urine output.

Uremia

A condition involving the accumulation of waste products in the blood due to renal failure.

Peritoneal Dialysis

A type of dialysis that uses the lining of the abdomen to filter blood.

Cystitis

An inflammation of the bladder; often characterized by painful urination and frequent urges to urinate.

Renal Colic

Severe pain caused by kidney stones as they move through the urinary tract.

Hypertension

A condition often associated with kidney disease, characterized by consistently high blood pressure.

Micturition Reflex

The reflex leading to the urge to void urine, involves contraction of the bladder's smooth muscles.

Chronic Renal Failure

Progressive and irreversible loss of kidney function; damages nephrons over months or years.

Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)

A measure of how well blood is filtered through the kidneys.

Electrolyte Imbalance

A disruption in the balance of electrolytes in the body, often resulting from kidney dysfunction.

Renal Dialysis

A medical procedure performed to filter toxins from the blood and restore electrolyte balance in patients with renal failure.

Urethra

The tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body.

Bladder Rupture

A serious injury where the bladder tears, leading to inability to urinate and may present with blood in urine.

Hyperkalemia

A condition characterized by high potassium levels in the blood, often seen in dialysis patients.

Pheochromocytoma

A tumor of the adrenal gland that secretes excess epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Anuria

A medical term referring to the absence of urine production.

Renal Fascia

A layer of dense tissue that anchors the kidneys to the abdominal wall.