Which condition is indicated by an increase in BUN and Scr during lithium therapy?

An increase in Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr) during lithium therapy is indicative of acute kidney injury (AKI). Lithium is known to affect renal function, and its use can lead to conditions such as nephrotoxicity, especially if the patient is dehydrated or has other predispositions to kidney issues.

Acute kidney injury manifests through elevated levels of waste products in the blood, including both BUN and Scr. Monitoring these values is critical in patients being treated with lithium, as they can provide valuable insight into the patient's renal status. An increase in these markers suggests that the kidneys are not filtering waste effectively, which is a hallmark of AKI.

In contrast, dehydration, diabetes, and hypertension may also influence kidney function, but their underlying mechanisms and clinical presentations are different. Dehydration might contribute to a temporary increase in BUN relative to Scr, but this does not necessarily imply sustained kidney injury as seen with AKI. Diabetes can lead to chronic kidney disease, but it is not characterized simply by an increase in these markers during therapy. Lastly, while hypertension can negatively impact renal function over time, it doesn't directly correlate with an acute spike in both BUN and Scr. Thus, the