Assessment of the Renal Patient

Abstract

Nephrologists encounter patients with a spectrum of renal disease, from asymptomatic incidental findings to severe renal impairment or electrolyte disturbance in a critically ill patient. Many of these patients will have significant comorbidity, often alongside previously diagnosed chronic renal disease. These factors mean the assessment of the ‘renal patient’ can be a challenging proposition to the less. There are numerous approaches to the assessment of patients with kidney disease, and practitioners will develop their own style with time. The ‘practical’ strategy we outline here is only one of many but one that we find successful in day-to-day practice.