Overview of Causes of High Creatinine (Nursing)

00:00 Hi! Welcome to our video series on interpreting lab values.

00:04 We're going to look at six causes of elevated creatinine and what you should do about it.

00:09 So just a quick review serum creatinine is a chemical waste product and it's produced by muscle metabolism.

00:17 Now normally healthy kidneys will filter out this creatinine and other waste products from your body.

00:23 Men have a little bit higher normal ranges than women because creatinine is coming from muscle.

00:29 So just Memorize the mail value and then, you know, take it down a small notch and you'll be able to see the range for the women.

00:36 Now, what should you do when a patient has a high creatinine? Well, it's always assess and collaborate whenever lab work is abnormal because this requires you to do a thorough follow-up.

00:48 So we can look at assessments, we're going to look at the patient's history will get Trends and their other lab work and events.

00:55 Then we're going to collaborate with other disciplines.

00:57 So let me walk you through the priority, so you'll know what you should do when you have a patient who has an abnormal serum creatinine specifically a high creatinine.

01:08 Now, there are six causes of high creatinine.

01:12 So if you're taking care of a patient, you get the lab work back you notice the creatinine is high.

01:17 These are six things. I want you to think through.

01:20 First of all does the patient have chronic kidney disease? Does the patient have a kidney obstruction? What about dehydration? What's their fluid volume status? Are they taking in high levels of dietary protein? At the just done some intense exercise? Or are they on specific medications that can elevate their creatinine?