CCHT Electrolyte Balance 3

Question 1

What is the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and calcium/phosphorus imbalance in ESRD?

Accepted Answer

Vitamin D deficiency impairs intestinal calcium absorption, promoting hypocalcemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism

Answer

The kidneys activate vitamin D, and in ESRD, this activation fails, reducing intestinal calcium absorption and triggering secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Question 2

Which laboratory value most directly reflects a patient's dialysis adequacy and should guide treatment adjustments?

Accepted Answer

Kt/V (urea clearance index)

Answer

Kt/V is the standard measure of dialysis adequacy, reflecting the volume of blood cleared of urea relative to the patient's body water volume.

Question 3

A patient's serum sodium is 128 mEq/L before dialysis. The dialysate sodium is 138 mEq/L. What is the expected effect on sodium balance?

Accepted Answer

Sodium will be added to the blood from dialysate, raising serum sodium toward normal

Answer

With dialysate sodium (138) higher than serum sodium (128), diffusion moves sodium from dialysate into blood, correcting hyponatremia.

Question 4

What happens to glucose levels in diabetic dialysis patients during a treatment using standard glucose-containing dialysate (200 mg/dL glucose)?

Accepted Answer

Blood glucose may increase as glucose diffuses from dialysate to blood if serum glucose is below dialysate level

Answer

If the patient's blood glucose is lower than dialysate glucose (200 mg/dL), glucose will diffuse from the dialysate into the blood, potentially raising blood glucose.

Question 5

Which electrolyte imbalance is most likely to cause a dialysis patient to experience tetany (involuntary muscle contractions)?

Accepted Answer

Hypocalcemia

Answer

Hypocalcemia causes increased neuromuscular excitability, leading to tetany, muscle spasms, and potentially seizures.

CCHT - Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician Practice Test

CCHT - Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician Practice Test

CCHT Electrolyte Balance 3