Medications and Pharmacology in Dialysis Flashcards
6 cards from real CHT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Medications and Pharmacology in Dialysis flashcards as text
Which medication is commonly used to treat hypotension during hemodialysis?
Answer: Midodrine
Midodrine, an alpha-1 agonist taken orally before dialysis, raises blood pressure by causing vasoconstriction, reducing intradialytic hypotension.
Why should antihypertensive medications ideally be withheld on the morning of hemodialysis?
Answer: They may cause excessive hypotension during fluid removal
Taking antihypertensives before dialysis combined with fluid removal can lead to severe intradialytic hypotension.
Kayexalate (sodium polystyrene sulfonate) is used in dialysis patients to manage which condition?
Answer: Hyperkalemia
Kayexalate is a cation-exchange resin that binds potassium in the GI tract and removes it from the body, used for acute or chronic hyperkalemia.
Which antibiotic class should be used with caution in dialysis patients due to risk of accumulation and ototoxicity?
Answer: Aminoglycosides
Aminoglycosides (e.g., gentamicin, tobramycin) are renally eliminated and accumulate in dialysis patients, increasing risk of hearing loss and vestibular damage.
What is the mechanism of action of sevelamer (Renvela) as a phosphate binder?
Answer: Non-calcium, non-metal polymer that binds phosphate in the intestine
Sevelamer is a non-absorbed, non-calcium polymer that binds dietary phosphate in the GI tract without adding a calcium or metal load.
Patients on long-term dialysis are often prescribed active vitamin D analogs such as paricalcitol primarily to:
Answer: Suppress elevated PTH and prevent renal osteodystrophy
Active vitamin D analogs suppress parathyroid hormone secretion and promote bone health, preventing renal osteodystrophy in dialysis patients.