What is the average GFR of an adult?

Appeared in: DSSSB Public Health Nurse - 2015

Explanation

The Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) is the volume of fluid filtered from the glomerular capillaries into Bowman's capsule per unit of time.
In a healthy adult, the normal GFR is approximately 125 ml/min.
This rate corresponds to the kidneys filtering about 180 liters of plasma per day, though most of it is reabsorbed.
Creatinine clearance is a common and practical method used to estimate the GFR.

Option A: A GFR of 10 ml/min is critically low and indicates severe renal impairment or kidney failure, not the average for a healthy adult.
Option B: This option confuses the daily filtration volume with the per-minute rate. The kidneys filter approximately 180 liters per day, which, when converted to a per-minute rate, is 125 ml/min (180,000 ml / 1440 min).
Option D: A GFR of 1 ml/min is extremely low and incompatible with life without renal replacement therapy. It signifies end-stage renal disease.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Normal Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) in adults as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
A nurse must monitor a patient's GFR as it is a critical indicator of kidney health and function.
Before administering nephrotoxic drugs (e.g., certain antibiotics, NSAIDs), it is essential to check the patient's GFR to prevent acute kidney injury.
What if? If a 75-year-old patient has a GFR of 55 ml/min, the nurse should recognize this as Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease. The priority action would be to review the patient's medication list for drugs that require dose adjustment for renal impairment and collaborate with the physician.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question, which is asking for a specific physiological value: the 'average GFR' in an 'adult'.
This is a factual recall question. Access your knowledge of normal renal physiology.
Evaluate the options. Recognize that 10 ml/min and 1 ml/min are pathologically low values, indicating severe kidney disease.
Differentiate between 125 ml/min and 180 ml/min. Recall that 125 ml/min is the standard per-minute rate, while 180 is associated with the total daily volume in liters (180 L/day).
Select the option that represents the standard average rate per minute for a healthy adult.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nursing Brunner Adult Health 3SA Vol 2 Part 1 p. 125-127

E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 2 p. 291-293

E6 Pathology-Textbook of PATHOLOGYHarsh Mohan Part 3 (515-969) p. 147-149

Practise the full DSSSB Public Health Nurse - 2015

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.