A patient with renal insufficiency has been hospitalized on your unit. The patient knows that renal function depends upon the functional status of nephrons
The patient asks you when she will need to start dialysis based upon loss of nephron function. What would you respond?
A) "When about 50% of the nephrons are no longer functioning."
B) "When about 60% of the nephrons are no longer functioning."
C) "When about 70% of the nephrons are no longer functioning."
D) "When about 80% of the nephrons are no longer functioning."
Ans: D
Feedback: When the total number of functioning nephrons is less than 20%, renal replacement therapy needs to be considered. Dialysis is an example of a renal replacement therapy. Prior to the loss of about 80% of the nephron functioning ability, the patient may have mild symptoms of compromised renal function, but symptom management is often obtained through dietary modifications and drug therapy. Therefore options A, B, and C are incorrect.
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