Acute kidney injury

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), also known as Acute Renal Failure (ARF), is a sudden episode of kidney failure or kidney damage that happens within a few hours or a few days. AKI causes a build-up of waste products in your blood and makes it hard for your kidneys to keep the right balance of fluid in your body. AKI can also affect other organs such as the brain, heart, and lungs. Acute kidney injury is often detected through lab tests that find high levels of waste products in your blood.

Causes

Acute kidney injury has three main causes:

• A sudden, serious drop in blood flow to the kidneys. Heavy blood loss, an injury, or a bad infection called sepsis can reduce blood flow to the kidneys. Not enough fluid in the body also can harm the kidneys.
• Damage from some medicines, poisons, or infections. Most people don't have any kidney problems from taking medicines. But people who have serious, long-term health problems are more likely than other people to have a kidney problem from medicines.
• A sudden blockage that stops urine from flowing out of the kidneys. Kidney stones, a tumor, an injury, or an enlarged prostate gland can cause a blockage.

Symptoms

Symptoms of acute kidney injury may include:

• Decreased urine output, although occasionally urine output remains normal
• Fluid retention, causing swelling in your legs, ankles or feet
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Weakness
• Irregular heartbeat
• Chest pain or pressure
• Seizures or coma in severe cases

Treatment

Treatment for acute kidney injury typically requires hospitalization. Most people with acute kidney injury are already in the hospital for other reasons. The primary goal of treatment is to quickly correct the cause of the kidney injury and restore kidney function. This usually involves:

• Treating the underlying cause of your kidney injury
• Providing supportive care, including managing complications and supporting kidney function

Prevention

Prevention of acute kidney injury involves a combination of lifestyle changes and medical treatment, including:

• Avoiding certain medications that can cause AKI
• Managing chronic conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure
• Regular check-ups with your healthcare provider

See also

• Chronic kidney disease
• Kidney failure
• Renal function
• Nephrology