Final answer:
The term used to describe an increase in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine is azotemia. It can be pre-renal, intrinsic renal, or post-renal in origin, and if untreated, can progress to acute kidney injury. Diagnosis is based on elevated BUN and creatinine levels, often accompanied by reduced urine output.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term used to describe an increase in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine is azotemia. This condition is associated with various factors that can affect kidney function and can be classified into pre-renal, intrinsic renal, and post-renal causes. Azotemia is often used to refer to a biochemical abnormality that precedes the development of more overt symptoms of kidney dysfunction, which can progress to acute kidney injury (AKI) if not identified and treated promptly.
Pre-renal azotemia is caused by conditions that lead to decreased renal perfusion and include factors like dehydration, heart failure, or bleeding. Intrinsic renal causes of azotemia are due to damage within the kidneys themselves, which may be due to conditions like acute glomerulonephritis or acute tubular necrosis. Post-renal azotemia results from obstruction of urine flow and may be due to kidney stones, enlarged prostate, or malignancies obstructing the urinary tract.
Diagnosis of renal failure is typically confirmed by elevated levels of creatinine or BUN, especially in the presence of oliguria. In acute kidney injury, criteria include a significant rise in serum creatinine or reduced urine output. Ongoing monitoring of kidney function is essential for patients at risk of or diagnosed with azotemia to prevent progression to more severe kidney injury or failure.