Question

Provide brief answers for the following:

1. Why is a urinalysis an important tool in a routine physical?

2. Suggest an explanation for blood in the urine.

Answer 1

Urinanalysis plays a vital role in in diagnosis of the renal disease or any other systemic diseases.

1. Urinanalysis helps in interpretation of ph of urine, which shows the acid base balance.
2. Normally protein is not present in the urine.It is common in renal disease because damage to glomeruli or tubules allows it to enter urine.
3. Patients with diabetes mellitus often have glucose in urine as a result of inability of tubules to resorb high glucose concentrations(>180mg/100ml).Ingestion of high concentrations of glucose causes some glucose to appear in urine of healthy persons.
4. Specific gravity in the urine measures concentration of particles in the urine.High specific gravity reflects concentrated urine, whereas low specific gravity reflects diluted urine.Dehydration, reduced renal blood flow, and increased ADH secretion elevates specific gravity.Overhydration, early renal disease, and inadequate ADH secretion reduce specific gravity.
5. Blood in urine is called as Hematuria. A positive test for occult blood occurs when intact erythrocytes,haemoglobin,or myoglobin is present.Blood in a routine urine specimen in a women may be a result of contamination of menstrual fluid.

Other Factors causing Hematuria:

• Damage to glomeruli or tubercules allows RBCs to enter the urine.
• Trauma, disease, or surgery of the lower urinary tract also causes blood to be present.