A patient says it hurts when he urinates, and he has blood in his urine. You would note that the patient has
a. dysuria and hematuria
b. hematuria and pyuria
c. uremia and cystitis
d. dysuria and cystitis
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is: a. dysuria and hematuria
Explanation:
When a patient reports pain during urination and blood in the urine, the medical terms used to describe these symptoms are:
- Dysuria: This refers to painful or difficult urination. It is a common symptom associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs), bladder infections (cystitis), urethritis, and other conditions affecting the lower urinary tract.
- Hematuria: This term describes the presence of blood in the urine. Hematuria can be either gross (visible to the naked eye) or microscopic (detectable only under a microscope or with a dipstick test). Causes of hematuria include infections, kidney stones, trauma, tumors, or inflammation of the urinary tract.
Therefore, a patient reporting these two symptoms would be documented as having dysuria and hematuria, making option a the correct choice.
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:
- b. Hematuria and pyuria: Pyuria refers to pus in the urine, often indicating a bacterial infection. While this may be present, the patient specifically complained of pain during urination, which is dysuria—not pyuria.
- c. Uremia and cystitis: Uremia is a serious condition involving the accumulation of waste products in the blood due to kidney failure, not simply pain or blood during urination. Cystitis refers to bladder inflammation, which may be present, but it’s not directly based on the patient’s stated symptoms.
- d. Dysuria and cystitis: Although dysuria can be caused by cystitis, the patient also reports blood in the urine. The correct terminology for this is hematuria, not cystitis (which is a diagnosis, not a symptom).
In clinical documentation, it is important to accurately report symptoms (like dysuria and hematuria) separately from potential diagnoses (like cystitis), unless the diagnosis has been confirmed.
