Question

Mrs. Gardner is 48 years old woman diagnosed with breast cancer. She has been enrolled in a clinical research trial testing the effectiveness of a new chemotherapeutic agent. After her second dose of the agent, she complains of feeling light-headed when she gets out of bed in the morning. Her blood pressure is found to fall from 135/80 to 105/70 when she goes from a supine to a standing position (i.e., orthostatic hypotension). She also complains of frequent urination and nocturia. Routine urinalysis reveals her urine contains large quantities of sodium. However, her serum creatinine level is within normal limits at 1.0 mg/dl. 1. On the basis of the urinalysis results, her doctor suspects that the chemotherapeutic agent damaged her kidneys.

Based on the information above, which portion of the nephron is likely damaged, the glomerulus, the proximal tubule, distal tubule, or collecting duct? Explain the reason for your choice.

Answer 1