Question

An 84-year-old woman diagnosed with cancer is admitted to the oncology unit for surgical treatment. The patient has been on chemotherapeutic agents to decrease the tumor size prior to the planned surgery. The nurse caring for the patient is aware that what precipitating factors in this patient may contribute to AKI? Select all that apply.

A) Anxiety
B) Low BMI
C) Age-related physiologic changes
D) Chronic systemic disease
E) NPO status

Answer 1

Factors that can contribute to acute kidney injury (AKI) in an elderly cancer patient include age-related physiologic changes, chronic systemic disease, and NPO status. Low BMI and anxiety may also contribute but are not direct causes. The nurse should be vigilant for these risks to manage and prevent AKI.

Step-by-step explanation:

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious condition that can occur in patients with certain predisposing factors. In the case of an 84-year-old woman diagnosed with cancer and pre-treated with chemotherapeutic agents, several factors could contribute to the development of AKI. These include:

• Age-related physiologic changes: As kidney function naturally declines with age, elderly patients like the woman in question are at a higher risk for AKI.
• Chronic systemic disease: Systemic conditions such as diabetes, malnutrition, hepatitis, or HIV can impair kidney function, increasing the risk of AKI.
• NPO status (nothing by mouth): This may lead to dehydration, which can in turn reduce kidney perfusion and function, causing or exacerbating AKI.
• Anxiety: While anxiety itself is not a direct cause of AKI, it can lead to physiologic changes that may indirectly affect kidney function.
• Low BMI: Malnutrition associated with a low body mass index (BMI) can contribute to a weakened state and possibly impact kidney health.

The nurse should monitor for these risk factors in addition to other causes of AKI such as dehydration, blood loss, diabetes, and obstruction like kidney stones or tumors.