Patient has not passed urine in last 24 hour. It is termed as?

Appeared in: NCL (MP) Nursing Officer - 2020

Explanation

Anuria is the medical term for the failure of the kidneys to produce urine, clinically defined as a urine output of less than 100 mL (and sometimes cited as less than 50 mL) over 24 hours.
The patient's condition of having passed no urine in 24 hours (an output of 0 mL) fits the definition of anuria.
This symptom indicates a severe disruption in kidney function or a complete blockage of the urinary tract, requiring urgent medical attention.

Option B: Polyuria is the opposite of the patient's condition. It refers to the passage of large volumes of urine—typically more than 2.5 or 3 liters per day.
Option C: Oliguria refers to a low or decreased urine output, defined as less than 400 mL per day. While it indicates renal impairment, it is not a complete or near-complete absence of urine.
Option D: This option is incorrect because a specific medical term, Anuria, accurately describes the patient's condition.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Terminology for urine output abnormalities to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Monitoring urine output is a fundamental nursing assessment for evaluating a patient's fluid balance, kidney function, and overall hemodynamic status.
Anuria is a critical finding that constitutes a medical emergency. Prompt reporting and intervention are necessary to identify the cause and prevent irreversible kidney damage or life-threatening complications like hyperkalemia.
What if? If the patient had passed 350 mL of urine in the last 24 hours, the correct term would be Oliguria. This still indicates a serious problem requiring investigation but is less severe than a complete absence of urine.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key clinical finding in the question stem: 'not passed urine in last 24 hour'. This translates to a urine output of 0 mL.
Next, analyze the options provided, which are all medical terms related to urine volume.
Recall the definitions for each term: Anuria (absence of urine), Polyuria (excessive urine), and Oliguria (low urine).
Compare the patient's symptom (0 mL urine output) with the definitions.
The patient's condition directly matches the definition of Anuria.
Therefore, select Anuria as the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Medicine Davidson Principles Practice 24e p. 411-413

E6 Nursing Brunner Adult Health 3SA Vol 2 Part 1 p. 128-130

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