Treatment of chronic renal failure includes which dietary restrictions?

• A. Minimize fluids, limit potassium intake, limit phosphorus
• B. Increase fluids
• C. Increase potassium
• D. No restrictions

Answer: (A)

In chronic kidney failure, the body can’t clear certain substances effectively, so the diet is adjusted to limit fluids and key electrolytes that accumulate. Limiting fluids helps prevent volume overload, edema, and high blood pressure. Restricting potassium reduces the risk of hyperkalemia, which can cause dangerous heart rhythms when kidney function is impaired. Limiting phosphorus helps prevent hyperphosphatemia and related bone and mineral problems.

That’s why the best approach is to minimize fluids and restrict both potassium and phosphorus. Increasing fluids would worsen edema and hypertension, raising potassium would be dangerous, and having no restrictions would allow fluid and electrolyte imbalances to develop.