Topic module

AKI, Fluid, Electrolytes and Acid-Base

Identify acute kidney injury, dangerous biochemical disturbance and safe fluid or renal-support decisions.

Long-form learning

Concept to Risk to Memory to Check-up

Use the official likely question distribution to plan breadth, then connect mechanisms, patterns and investigations to one most appropriate answer.

Core concepts

Concept 1

AKI requires cause, severity, complication, obstruction and medicine review.

Exam cue: Treat life-threatening potassium, volume or acid-base disturbance first.

Concept 2

Acid-base interpretation starts with pH and primary process, then compensation and mixed disorder.

Exam cue: Use trends, urine output and clinical volume state.

Risk pitfalls and guardrails

Giving reflex fluid despite overload.

Guardrail: Do not select an option merely because it is true; choose the one that best answers the exact stem and fits the full pattern.

Treating a potassium number without ECG and haemolysis context.

Guardrail: Do not select an option merely because it is true; choose the one that best answers the exact stem and fits the full pattern.

Memory anchors

What are broad AKI mechanisms?

Pre-renal hypoperfusion, intrinsic renal injury and post-renal obstruction.

What makes hyperkalaemia urgent?

Severe or rising potassium, ECG change, symptoms or significant renal failure.

What makes fluid prescribing safe?

Indication, composition, rate, comorbidity, monitoring and stopping criteria.

How is acid-base analysis started?

pH, carbon dioxide, bicarbonate, expected compensation and anion gap when relevant.

When is renal replacement considered?

Refractory dangerous electrolyte, acid-base, fluid or uraemic complications in the clinical context.

Checkpoint rule

Do the check-up only after you can summarize each concept in one sentence and identify one dangerous pitfall from memory.

Knowledge Check (after reading)

Short check-up to confirm understanding of this module.

1-2 question checkpoint

A septic patient becomes oliguric and creatinine rises by 70 µmol/L within 48 hours. What syndrome is present?

A patient with vomiting has hypotension, dry mucosa, concentrated urine and a high urea-to-creatinine ratio. What type of AKI is most likely?

Answer all questions to submit.

Next step personalized recommendations

Move forward only after this module is stable.

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