You are the nurse caring for a 77-year-old male patient who has been involved in a motor vehicle accident

Question

You and your colleague note that the patient's labs indicate minimally elevated serum creatinine levels, which your colleague dismisses. What can this increase in creatinine indicate in older adults?
A) Substantially reduced renal function
B) Acute kidney injury
C) Decreased cardiac output
D) Alterations in ratio of body fluids to muscle mass

Answer 1

Ans: A
Feedback:
Normal physiologic changes of aging, including reduced cardiac, renal, and respiratory function, and reserve and alterations in the ratio of body fluids to muscle mass, may alter the responses of elderly people to fluid and electrolyte changes and acid–base disturbances. Renal function declines with age, as do muscle mass and daily exogenous creatinine production. Therefore, high-normal and minimally elevated serum creatinine values may indicate substantially reduced renal function in older adults. Acute kidney injury is likely to cause a more significant increase in serum creatinine.