CKD
Structured condition card with NCLEX priority cues and nursing action focus.
CKD
Also testable as: Chronic kidney disease
Etiology / Pathophysiology
- Long-term kidney damage from diabetes, hypertension, glomerular disease, or other causes.
- Progressive nephron loss causes waste retention, anemia, bone/mineral issues, and fluid overload.
Medications
| Class | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Diuretics | May support volume control before advanced failure. |
| ACE inhibitors / ARBs | May protect kidneys in selected clients but requires monitoring. |
Signs / symptoms
- Fatigue from anemia.
- Itching/uremia.
- Diet restrictions are common NCLEX items.
Nursing actions
- Monitor labs, weight, edema, blood pressure, skin, and diet restrictions.
- Teach renal diet elements as prescribed: sodium, potassium, phosphorus, fluid.
- Assess access site and dialysis plan if applicable.
Complications
- Hyperkalemia
- Anemia
- Bone disease
- Uremia
- Fluid overload
NCLEX cues
- Fatigue from anemia.
- Itching/uremia.
- Diet restrictions are common NCLEX items.
Memory hooks
- CKD is slow filter loss.
Labs / Diagnostics
- Trend assessment findings and ordered diagnostics; verify exact values with school source material.
Review notes
- Session-derived study seed. Verify against school materials, ATI/NCLEX review sources, current orders, and facility policy before relying on details.
Cross references
Related cards are generated from the shared study map, not hand-built per page.
Condition card for CKD: recognize the testable cue, prevent the complication, and choose the safest first nursing action.
Lab value that can rise with kidney dysfunction, dehydration, bleeding, or high protein breakdown.
Long-term kidney function decline that affects electrolytes, fluid balance, anemia, and medication clearance.
Estimate of how well kidneys filter blood.
Reduces angiotensin effect so vessels relax and aldosterone-driven sodium and water retention decreases.
Moves fluid out through the kidneys; the exact electrolyte effect depends on the class.