azotemia

azotemia /az·o·te·mia/ (az″o-te´me-ah) uremia; an excess of urea or other nitrogenous compounds in the blood.

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az·o·te·mi·a (z-tm-, z-)

n.

See uremia.

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azo·temic (-mk) adj.

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Azotemia

The presence of excess nitrogenous wastes in the blood.

Mentioned in: Pneumocystis Pneumonia

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azotemia

[az′ōtē′mē·ə]

Etymology: Fr, azote, nitrogen; Gk, haima, blood

retention of excessive amounts of nitrogenous compounds in the blood. This toxic condition is caused by failure of the kidneys to remove urea from the blood and is characteristic of uremia. Also spelled azotaemia. See also uremia. azotemic, adj.

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azotemia

an excess of nitrogen-containing compounds in the blood. See also uremia.

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postrenal azotemia

is caused by reduced renal blood flow caused by increased pressure within the renal collecting system, e.g. hydronephrosis and urine retention from a variety of causes.

prerenal azotemia

is due to extrarenal causes that reduce renal blood flow and glomerular filtration, e.g. dehydration, shock, reduced cardiac output, decreased plasma albumin osmotic pressure.

primary renal azotemia

results from loss of renal functional parenchyma.

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azotemia

Nephrology A higher than normal blood urea–BUN or other nitrogen-containing compounds in the blood; ↑ BUN may be: (1) prerenal, due to ↓ renal blood flow–with ↓ glomerular filtration rate–GFR and/or excess urea production, seen in dehydration, shock, ↓ blood volume, and CHF; (2) renal, with ↓ GFR due to acute or chronic renal failure; (3) postrenal, due to urinary tract obstruction or perforation with extravasation of urine; ↓ BUN occurs in pregnancy–due to ↑ GFR, malnutrition, high fluid intake, severe liver disease–↓ protein production. See Uremia.