In postrenal disease, what is the typical BUN/creatinine ratio?

Prepare for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Test. Study with interactive quizzes and detailed explanations. Boost your exam readiness with our diverse question formats and in-depth content coverage.

Multiple Choice

In postrenal disease, what is the typical BUN/creatinine ratio?

In postrenal obstruction, the inability to excrete urine leads to a rise in both BUN and creatinine, but the BUN does not rise disproportionately as it often does in prerenal states. The result is a BUN to creatinine ratio that is closer to the normal range, typically around 10:1. This contrasts with prerenal azotemia, where the BUN rises much more than creatinine due to increased urea reabsorption from the kidney during low effective perfusion (often >20:1). A ratio near 10:1 reflects the mixed effect of reduced clearance without the marked selective urea reabsorption seen in prerenal states, making 10:1 the best fit for postrenal obstruction.

In postrenal obstruction, the inability to excrete urine leads to a rise in both BUN and creatinine, but the BUN does not rise disproportionately as it often does in prerenal states. The result is a BUN to creatinine ratio that is closer to the normal range, typically around 10:1. This contrasts with prerenal azotemia, where the BUN rises much more than creatinine due to increased urea reabsorption from the kidney during low effective perfusion (often >20:1). A ratio near 10:1 reflects the mixed effect of reduced clearance without the marked selective urea reabsorption seen in prerenal states, making 10:1 the best fit for postrenal obstruction.

More practice questions