How to Study the Medical Condition of Nephrotic Syndrome
Define nephrotic syndrome., Study the form of the kidney., Study the functions of the kidney., Study the function of antidiuretic hormone., Learn about the hormone aldosterone., Understand the function of the hormone atrial natriuretic peptide., Be...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Define nephrotic syndrome.
The nephrotic syndrome is not a medical condition by itself but is rather a collection of medical symptoms associated with a kidney disease or a systemic disorder that has as one of its manifestations the nephrotic symptoms. -
Step 2: Study the form of the kidney.
In order to understand the nephrotic syndrome, one needs to have some basic information about the structure and function of the kidney tissue.
Without a properly functioning kidney, one would not be able to survive due to the importance of the kidney in maintaining homeostasis of the body.
Study the anatomy of the kidney.
The kidney is comprised of a capsule and a cortex in addition to a medulla.
The functional unit of the kidney is the nephron which is available in thousands of units in the kidney.
Study the structure of the nephron.
The nephron in turn is composed of two parts.
These are: the glomerulus and the collecting tubules.
The glomerulus of the nephron is the site where damage to the kidney occurs in the nephrotic syndrome.
The glomerulus is composed of epithelial kidney cells which are called podocytes.
In addition, there are the basement membrane and arteriolar endothelium. , Usually the kidney functions by filtering small molecules in the glomerulus and then reabsorbs part of them in the kidney tubules such as glucose.
The filtration of compounds in the glomerulus is by diffusion in the case of water but occurs in other cases by active transport.
Large molecules such as proteins are not usually filtered in the glomerulus due to the existence of a physical barrier that prevents the passage of large molecules through the kidney basement membrane.
The filtration of water in the kidney is, on the other hand, possible due to its small size.
Water secretion in the urine and blood volume is governed by three important hormones.
These are the antidiuretic hormone or ADH and aldosterone and atrial natriuretic hormone. , ADH is secreted to the blood circulation from the posterior pituitary gland in response to high blood osmolality or due to hypovolemia or low blood volume as occurs in hypotension or shock.
Its secretion stimulates the conservation of water in the kidney tubules. , Aldosterone is another hormone which functions to regulate water level in the blood indirectly by stimulating the conservation of sodium ions in the tubules along with water which passes with it in a diffusional process. , Atrial natriuretic peptide is the third hormone which also function by removing excess water from the blood.
It is in this sense an antagonist to both aldosterone and ADH.
Atrial natriuretic hormone is secreted by the heart cells in response to hypervolemia.
Normally the urine that is filtered in the kidney glomerulus contains water and urea in addition to waste products of the metabolism in the body. , Nephrotic syndrome can be caused by several medical conditions that are specific to the kidney tissue but also can happen as a result of a systemic disease such as lupus erythematosus:
The nephrotic syndrome is characterized by the presence of proteins in the urine a process which is called proteinurea.
It happens due to the escape of proteins in the glomerular wall to the urine.
In systemic diseases such as lupus erythematosus, this happens due to autoimmune disorders which destroys the glomerular integrity.
This contributes in turn to the escape of proteins by filtering it. , After continuous protein escapes from the glomerulus, a state of hypoproteinemia occurs.
This leads to low oncotic pressure in the blood which can lead to edema or accumulation of water in the extracellular compartment.
Also, due to fluid and electrolytes depletion a state of hypovolemia occurs.
Thus, ADH and aldosterone begin to be secreted to restore the blood volume and sodium level to its normal state.
In addition to hypoproteinemia and proteinurea, there is also accompanying hyperlipidemia or increased levels of lipids in the blood.
This condition occurs probably due to increased synthesis of lipoproteins in the liver and other body tissues.
In addition to hyperlipidemia, there is also lipidurea due to the success of lipids to escape to urine through the damaged glomerulus.
The damage to the glomerulus permits proteins and lipids in addition to other large molecules to be secreted in the urine.
In the nephrotic syndrome there is no escape of red blood cells in the urine.
Usually, the little red blood cells escape in the urine through the glomerular basement membrane.
In the nephritic syndrome, however, there are massive red blood cells escaping into the urine, which distinguishes it from the nephrotic syndrome. , Systemic diseases and in particular those with autoimmune origin such as lupus erythematosus cause the nephrotic syndrome by damaging the glomerular integrity.
This happens by depositing immune complexes in the basement membrane of the glomerulus.
This contributes to its increased permeability which eventually leads to filtration of large molecules in the urine such as proteins and lipids. -
Step 3: Study the functions of the kidney.
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Step 4: Study the function of antidiuretic hormone.
-
Step 5: Learn about the hormone aldosterone.
-
Step 6: Understand the function of the hormone atrial natriuretic peptide.
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Step 7: Be familiar with the causes of nephrotic syndrome.
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Step 8: Study the progress of nephrotic syndrome.
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Step 9: Understand which systemic diseases that can cause nephrotic syndrome.
Detailed Guide
The nephrotic syndrome is not a medical condition by itself but is rather a collection of medical symptoms associated with a kidney disease or a systemic disorder that has as one of its manifestations the nephrotic symptoms.
In order to understand the nephrotic syndrome, one needs to have some basic information about the structure and function of the kidney tissue.
Without a properly functioning kidney, one would not be able to survive due to the importance of the kidney in maintaining homeostasis of the body.
Study the anatomy of the kidney.
The kidney is comprised of a capsule and a cortex in addition to a medulla.
The functional unit of the kidney is the nephron which is available in thousands of units in the kidney.
Study the structure of the nephron.
The nephron in turn is composed of two parts.
These are: the glomerulus and the collecting tubules.
The glomerulus of the nephron is the site where damage to the kidney occurs in the nephrotic syndrome.
The glomerulus is composed of epithelial kidney cells which are called podocytes.
In addition, there are the basement membrane and arteriolar endothelium. , Usually the kidney functions by filtering small molecules in the glomerulus and then reabsorbs part of them in the kidney tubules such as glucose.
The filtration of compounds in the glomerulus is by diffusion in the case of water but occurs in other cases by active transport.
Large molecules such as proteins are not usually filtered in the glomerulus due to the existence of a physical barrier that prevents the passage of large molecules through the kidney basement membrane.
The filtration of water in the kidney is, on the other hand, possible due to its small size.
Water secretion in the urine and blood volume is governed by three important hormones.
These are the antidiuretic hormone or ADH and aldosterone and atrial natriuretic hormone. , ADH is secreted to the blood circulation from the posterior pituitary gland in response to high blood osmolality or due to hypovolemia or low blood volume as occurs in hypotension or shock.
Its secretion stimulates the conservation of water in the kidney tubules. , Aldosterone is another hormone which functions to regulate water level in the blood indirectly by stimulating the conservation of sodium ions in the tubules along with water which passes with it in a diffusional process. , Atrial natriuretic peptide is the third hormone which also function by removing excess water from the blood.
It is in this sense an antagonist to both aldosterone and ADH.
Atrial natriuretic hormone is secreted by the heart cells in response to hypervolemia.
Normally the urine that is filtered in the kidney glomerulus contains water and urea in addition to waste products of the metabolism in the body. , Nephrotic syndrome can be caused by several medical conditions that are specific to the kidney tissue but also can happen as a result of a systemic disease such as lupus erythematosus:
The nephrotic syndrome is characterized by the presence of proteins in the urine a process which is called proteinurea.
It happens due to the escape of proteins in the glomerular wall to the urine.
In systemic diseases such as lupus erythematosus, this happens due to autoimmune disorders which destroys the glomerular integrity.
This contributes in turn to the escape of proteins by filtering it. , After continuous protein escapes from the glomerulus, a state of hypoproteinemia occurs.
This leads to low oncotic pressure in the blood which can lead to edema or accumulation of water in the extracellular compartment.
Also, due to fluid and electrolytes depletion a state of hypovolemia occurs.
Thus, ADH and aldosterone begin to be secreted to restore the blood volume and sodium level to its normal state.
In addition to hypoproteinemia and proteinurea, there is also accompanying hyperlipidemia or increased levels of lipids in the blood.
This condition occurs probably due to increased synthesis of lipoproteins in the liver and other body tissues.
In addition to hyperlipidemia, there is also lipidurea due to the success of lipids to escape to urine through the damaged glomerulus.
The damage to the glomerulus permits proteins and lipids in addition to other large molecules to be secreted in the urine.
In the nephrotic syndrome there is no escape of red blood cells in the urine.
Usually, the little red blood cells escape in the urine through the glomerular basement membrane.
In the nephritic syndrome, however, there are massive red blood cells escaping into the urine, which distinguishes it from the nephrotic syndrome. , Systemic diseases and in particular those with autoimmune origin such as lupus erythematosus cause the nephrotic syndrome by damaging the glomerular integrity.
This happens by depositing immune complexes in the basement membrane of the glomerulus.
This contributes to its increased permeability which eventually leads to filtration of large molecules in the urine such as proteins and lipids.
About the Author
Ann Stokes
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