Pre-renal cause of acute renal failure is:

IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg.Entrance-2026

Medical Surgical Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg.Entrance-2026

Explanation

The question asks to identify a pre-renal cause of acute renal failure.
Pre-renal causes are characterized by reduced blood flow (perfusion) to the kidneys, without initial damage to the kidney tissue itself.
Hemorrhage leads to significant blood and fluid loss (hypovolemia), which decreases cardiac output and renal perfusion.
This reduction in blood supply to the kidneys is the defining feature of a pre-renal injury, making hemorrhage a classic example.

Option B: Glomerulonephritis is an inflammation of the glomeruli, the filtering units inside the kidneys. This represents direct damage to the kidney tissue.
Option C: Ureteral obstruction is a blockage in the ureters, the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. This prevents urine from leaving the kidney.
Option D: Prostatic enlargement (like Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) obstructs the urethra, blocking the outflow of urine from the bladder. This is a blockage after the kidneys.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Classification of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) causes as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a critical role in identifying patients at risk for AKI and monitoring for early signs. This includes strict intake and output monitoring, daily weights, and assessing for signs of volume depletion (hypotension, tachycardia) or fluid overload.
For patients with pre-renal causes like hemorrhage, the priority nursing intervention is to assist with measures that restore circulating volume, such as administering IV fluids and blood products as ordered, and controlling the source of bleeding.
What if? If the patient was an elderly man with difficulty urinating and a palpable bladder on examination, the most likely cause of AKI would shift from pre-renal to post-renal, likely due to prostatic enlargement. The immediate nursing priority would be to facilitate bladder decompression, such as preparing for urinary catheterization.

How to Approach the Question

First, understand the question is asking for a 'pre-renal' cause of acute kidney failure.
Recall the definitions of the three main types of AKI: pre-renal, intra-renal, and post-renal.
Pre-renal relates to problems with blood flow to the kidney.
Intra-renal relates to problems within the kidney itself.
Post-renal relates to problems with urine outflow after the kidney.
Evaluate each option against these definitions: Hemorrhage (loss of blood volume), Glomerulonephritis (kidney inflammation), Ureteral obstruction (blockage after kidney), Prostatic enlargement (blockage after kidney).

Concept Tested & Keywords

QadAwzO7jmklObPrk6GBQO

E6 Medicine Davidson Principles Practice 24e p. 431-433

E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 1 p. 381-383