Max’s Maximum: A Case Study on the Urinary System
It
took the diagnosis of high blood pressure (hypertension) at the age of
45 to shock Max into taking better care of himself. A former college
football player, he had let himself go, eating too much junk food,
drinking too much alcohol, sitting on his chubby bottom for the majority
of the last two decades, and even indulging in the frequent habit of
smoking cigars. Max’s physician had to prescribe two different
antihypertensive medications in order to get his blood pressure under
control. She also prescribed regular exercise, a low-salt diet, modest
alcohol intake, and smoking cessation. Max was scared, really scared.
His father had hypertension at a young age as well and ended up on
dialysis before dying from complications of kidney failure.
Fortunately
for Max, he took his doctor’s advice and began a dramatic lifestyle
change that would bring him to his present-day situation. Now, at the
age of 55, he was a master triathlon athlete who routinely placed among
the top five triathletes of the same age group in the country. Max’s
competitive spirit had been ignited by this, but at the same time he
wanted to be first among his peers. To that end, he
hired Tracey, a Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist, to help him
gain the edge he needed to win at the end of the race. His most
immediate concern was that he was experiencing problems with dehydration
and fatigue because he hadn’t found an effective way to drink enough
fluids while exercising.
Tracey
showed Max an impressive array of assessment tools for quantifying and
analyzing his physiological state before, during, and after his
workouts. One of the tools was urinalysis, which Max found a bit odd,
but he dutifully supplied urine samples on a regular, prescribed basis.
Tracey explained that Max’s hydration status was tricky due to the
medication he took to control his hypertension, and that renal status
(as measured in the urinalysis) was one of the tools she could use to
evaluate his physiological state.
Tracey logs the following results of Max’s urinalysis immediately after, and six hours after, a rigorous 2-hour run.
Time
Color
Specific Gravity
Protein
Glucose
pH
Before exercise
pale yellow
1.002
absent
absent
6.0
Immediately after exercise
dark yellow
1.035
small amount
absent
4.5
Six hours after exercise
yellow
1.025
absent
small amount
5.0
In your discussion post, you should include:
a) Main discussion paragraph (one or two paragraphs) and
b) Reply to at least TWO of your classmates.
Important points to include in your Main discussion post.
Paragraph 1
1. What
does the color of Max’s urine tell Tracey about how concentrated or
dilute it is? How does Max’s urine color/concentration compare to the
urine specific gravity at the same time?
____________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2
Background.
Set the scene: background information, relevant facts, and the most
important issues. … (What made Max make dramatic lifestyle change?)
Evaluation
of the Case. Outline the various pieces of the case study that you are
focusing on. … (What were the assessment tools that Tracey showed Max
and why were they doing it?
Reply to TWO of your classmates
– Your reply should include (Proposed Solution/Changes/recommendations.
… (What do you do to keep yourself healthy, what lifestyle changes
would you recommend to someone who you think has an unhealthy lifestyle (exchange ideas/thoughts with TWO your classmates)
Classmate Post #1 Baneza Galvan
Paragraph 1
Max’s
urine provides insights into his hydration status. Prior to exercise,
his urine was pale yellow, indicating a diluted concentration. Following
a two-hour run, Max’s urine darkened to a deeper yellow, signaling
increased concentration due to dehydration. This is supported by the
rise in specific gravity from 1.002 before exercise to 1.035 afterward,
indicating higher solute concentration in his urine post-exercise. Six
hours later, although his urine returned to yellow, the specific gravity
remained elevated at 1.025, indicating persistent dehydration despite
attempts to rehydrate. These findings underscore the importance of
monitoring hydration during and after exercise, particularly for
individuals managing medical conditions like Max.
Paragraph 2
Following
his hypertension diagnosis at 45, Max underwent a profound lifestyle
overhaul. Realizing the health risks and potential complications such as
kidney failure, Max committed to adopting a healthier lifestyle. His
changes included regular exercise, a low-salt diet, moderate alcohol
consumption, and quitting smoking under medical guidance. This
transformation was catalyzed by Max’s recognition of parallels between
his health and that of his father, who suffered from hypertension and
kidney failure. Motivated by this realization, Max prioritized proactive
health management to avoid the health challenges his father faced.
Tracey utilized various assessment tools, including urinalysis, to
monitor Max’s physiological status during training. This included
evaluating parameters such as urine color, specific gravity, protein
levels, glucose, and pH to assess Max’s fluid balance and kidney
function. This information enabled Tracey to tailor Max’s fluid intake
to enhance performance and mitigate dehydration risks, crucial given his
existing medical conditions.
Classmate Post #2 Jennifer Zaragoza
Paragraph 1
The color of Max’s urine immediately after exercise provides insights
into its concentration. The dark yellow color indicates that his urine
is highly concentrated, likely due to significant fluid loss through
sweating during rigorous 2 hour run. This concentrated urine suggests
that Max may be experiencing dehydration post exercise. Concurrently,
the specific gravity readings further confirm this concentration, with a
value 1.035 immediately after exercise compared to 1.002 before
exercise. Specific gravity measures the density of urine relative to
water, where higher values indicate higher concentration. Thus, Max’s
urine color and specific gravity collectively indicate dehydration
following intense physical activity.
Paragraph 2
Max’s lifestyle transformation stemmed from a critical health scare.
Mas was diagnosed with hypertension at the age of 45. This diagnosis
prompted him to overhaul his habits, including dietary changes, reduced
alcohol consumption, smoking cessation, and regular exercise. His
motivation to excel in triathlons further fueled his commitment to
health improvement, leading him to seek professional guidance from
Tracey. Tracey is a Certified Exercise Specialist. Tracey employed
various assessment tools to monitor Max’s physiological responses to
exercise, including urinalysis. This tool was particularly important due
to Max’s medication for hypertension, which can affect his hydration
status and renal function. By analyzing parameters such as urine color,
specific gravity, and pH, Tracey could optimize Max’s hydration
strategies to enhance his performance and recovery while mitigating
health risks associated with his medical history.
