Final answer:
A client with glomerulonephritis who is at risk for developing acute renal failure should be monitored for hypertension, as renal issues can cause fluid overload and increased blood pressure.
Step-by-step explanation:
A client with glomerulonephritis is at risk of developing acute renal failure. The nurse should monitor the client for symptoms indicative of this complication. One of the critical signs to look for in acute renal failure is hypertension.
When the kidneys malfunction due to conditions such as glomerulonephritis, they can fail to properly regulate fluid and electrolyte balances, leading to fluid overload. This fluid overload can increase blood pressure, hence causing hypertension. Other conditions that can affect kidney function include hepatorenal syndrome, atheroembolic disease, renal vein thrombosis, and infections like sepsis that can cause systemic inflammation.
Renal failure itself can manifest with an array of symptoms such as fluid retention leading to edema, abnormalities in acid-base balance, and altered levels of electrolytes like potassium. Symptoms of kidney failure, while sometimes initially silent, can escalate to weakness, shortness of breath, anemia, and potentially lethal cardiovascular conditions if untreated.