Episode 201: AKI Roadmap

29/08/2025 26 min Temporada 1
Episode 201: AKI Roadmap

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Episode 201: AKI Roadmap.  Future Dr. Ayyagari describes the different types of acute kidney injury and shares some elements of management for each category. Dr. Arreaza shares some input about statistics and the importance of drinking water during summer.Written by Tejasvi Ayyagari, MSIV, Ross University School of Medicine. Edits and comments by Hector Arreaza, MD.You are listening to Rio Bravo qWeek Podcast, your weekly dose of knowledge brought to you by the Rio Bravo Family Medicine Residency Program from Bakersfield, California, a UCLA-affiliated program sponsored by Clinica Sierra Vista, Let Us Be Your Healthcare Home. This podcast was created for educational purposes only. Visit your primary care provider for additional medical advice.INTRODUCTION:Dr. Arreaza: Hello everyone, and welcome back to Rio Bravo qWeek — your weekly dose of knowledge. I’m Dr. Arreaza, I am a faculty member and associate program director of the Rio Bravo FM residency program. In Episode 126, we briefly introduced the topic of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), but today, we’re taking a deep dive into the matter. I have here alongside my cohost, future Dr. Ayyagari, AKA TJ. Please, TJ, introduce yourself.TJ: Hey everyone, good to be back on the podcast. My name is TJ Ayyagari, and I am currently finishing my last rotation of medical school with Rio Bravo CSV outpatient.  I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe.Dr. Arreaza: So, TJ prepared this discussion about acute kidney injury, also known as AKI. This is a critical topic for our Kern community, especially during the summer months when the risk of AKI increases. You will face many patients with AKI on the wards, in the clinic, and especially on your future board exam. Hopefully, by the end of this episode, you all will have more information on AKI, but also the three different types: prerenal, intrinsic, and postrenal. TJ: Without further ado, let’s get started, Dr. Arreaza.SECTION 1 – What is AKI?Dr Arreaza: Let’s start with the definition. Let’s explain what AKI is. TJ: Absolutely.  So, an AKI is not just a bump in the patient’s creatinine. According to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) definition, an AKI embodies any of the following criteria:Increase in serum creatinine by ≥0.3 mg/dL within 48 hours, ORIncrease in serum creatinine to ≥1.5 times baseline within the prior 7 days, ORUrine volume 20:1).  There is also a lab value called the Fractional excretion of sodium, otherwise known as FeNa, which will appear as 20:1 — looks like prerenal.FeNa 500 mOsm/kg.In the later phase (after prolonged obstruction → tubular injury):BUN: Cr ratio ~10–15:1 — now looks intrinsic.FeNa >2%.Urine osmolality ~300 mOsm/kg.Dr. Arreaza: BUN:Cr ratio and FeNa are not reliable to diagnose postrenal AKI, so we must rely more in imaging and clinical presentation. Let´s talk about the management of postrenal AKI.TJ: Absolutely!  The main way to treat a post-renal AKI is to relieve the obstruction causing it in the first place, whether it be through surgery, TURP, lithotripsy, etc.Dr. Arreaza: I think the favorite treatment done by urology to relieve obstruction is a ureteral stent, which, remember, needs to be removed later. Typically, 1-2 weeks is sufficient to treat kidney stones. The risk of encrustation and infection increases significantly after 4–6 weeks, and stents should ideally be exchanged within 3 months to minimize complications. SECTION 5 – ClosingDr. Arreaza: I know you’ve spent a decent amount of time explaining the details of the AKI types with us, TJ, but could you give us a summary?TJ: Viewers, if there’s anything to take away from this, remember:Prerenal: Poor perfusion, fix the flow.Intrinsic: Structural damage inside the kidney — think ATN, AIN, GN.Postrenal: Obstruction — relieve the blockage.When you see AKI, think: Before the kidney, in the kidney, or after the kidney? That simple framework can help you move fast and help your patient recover kidney function.Dr. Arreaza, any advice you want to give to the viewers?Dr. Arreaza: Yes,weare in the middle of summer, and we treat a large amount of farm workers, construction workers and people who spend time outdoors, in general, remind your patients to drink water. Water is life, especially for the kidneys, there is no substitute. That’s it for today’s episode of Rio Bravo qWeek. If you enjoyed this review, share it with a colleague or medical student who could use a quick AKI refresher. And remember — the kidneys may be small, but they’re mighty… and they hold grudges when you ignore them. I’m Dr. Arreaza, signing off.TJ: Thank you for tuning in, everyone. Have a nice day!Even without trying, every night you go to bed a little wiser. Thanks for listening to Rio Bravo qWeek Podcast. We want to hear from you, send us an email at [email protected], or visit our website riobravofmrp.org/qweek. See you next week! _____________________References:Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Acute Kidney Injury Work Group. KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline for Acute Kidney Injury. Kidney International Supplements. 2012;2:1–13. https://kdigo.org/guidelines/acute-kidney-injury/.Kaur A, Sharma GS, Kumbala DR. Acute kidney injury in diabetic patients: A narrative review. Medicine (Baltimore). 2023 May 26;102(21):e33888. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000033888. PMID: 37233407; PMCID: PMC10219694. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10219694/Theme song, Works All The Time by Dominik Schwarzer, YouTube ID: CUBDNERZU8HXUHBS, purchased from https://www.premiumbeat.com/.