Can someone please help me?!?

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I need help understanding the whole Renin, Aldosterone, Angiotensin I & II thing, in terms that I can understand. Can anyone help me?

Thanks,

shir-bur :scrying:

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Peds/O.R./Legal/cardiology.

Have you tried WebMD.com?? They usually give easy to understand info. or you can google it.

ebear

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

It is very complicated isn't it?? It is amazing what the body can do to increase blood pressure and this system does just about everything it can to hold on to fluids and vasoconstrict so that pressures remain adequate in maintaining perfusion to all the organs. Unfortunately, this system can be over-stimulated and make things like CHF (heart failure) worse by holding onto fluid that they body desperately needs to get rid of....

I don't know how much you need to know about this system, but here is a pretty good explanation:

http://www.cvphysiology.com/Blood%20Pressure/BP015.htm

ACEI are a class of drugs that specifically blocks this action of this system and is used commonly in heart failure and after MI.

Is this enough information or do you need to know how the system works step by step? If so, it may be helpful to draw up a diagram to see how each step evolves to the next.

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Specializes in NICU.

Renin is released from the juxtaglomerular cells @ the renal artery, in response to a decreased arterial BP and/or decreased renal blood flow, increased norephinephrine, increased urinary sodium conc'n.

Renin --> Angiotensin I --> Converting Enzyme --> Angiotensin II (Vasoconstriction and Triggers release of aldosterone.. Stimulates secretion of ADH- antidiuretic hormone) --> Aldosterone- Increased Na and H2O retention with increased BP

BP increases because of increase in ECF (d/t Aldosterone) as well as vasoconstriction (Angiotensin II)

Excessive release of renin may be a contributing cause to secondary hypertension.

Courtesy of Mosby- Pathophys Memory Cards

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Thanks, guys!! And yes I'll take any diagrams or whatever you have, and the web site was a big help, I made sure to save it. I don't know why all of this hasn't clicked with me yet. But thanks for all your help!!!! I really think that this is a great place to come to for help. I have told all of my friends that are in the nursing program with me that they need to come and register here, because when I have a problem with something that I don't understand very well, I know I can get help here. Most of the time, if I go to one of my instructors for help, they quote me their famous saying, "We are not here to spoon feed you," so needless to say, I don't get a whole lot of help from them, so let me just say once again, thanks so much for all the help!!!!

:thankya: shir-bur

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

this is a concept map of the process that you might find helpful:

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