Acute renal failure

Acute Renal Failure

Acute renal failure, also known as acute kidney injury (AKI), is a sudden episode of kidney failure or kidney damage that happens within a few hours or a few days. This condition causes a build-up of waste products in the blood and makes it hard for the kidneys to maintain the right balance of fluid in the body.

Causes

Acute renal failure can occur for a number of reasons, including:

• Kidney trauma: This includes physical injuries that directly impact the kidneys.
• Ischemia: This is a lack of blood flow to the kidneys, which can occur as a result of major surgery, severe burns, or an injury that causes significant blood loss.
• Sepsis: This is a severe infection that spreads through the bloodstream, leading to reduced blood flow to the kidneys.
• Nephrotoxicity: This is kidney damage caused by drugs or toxins.

Symptoms

Symptoms of acute renal failure may include:

• Decreased urine output
• Fluid retention
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Chest pain or pressure
• Seizures or coma in severe cases

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of acute renal failure typically involves a combination of blood tests, urine tests, imaging tests like ultrasound, and in some cases, a kidney biopsy.

Treatment

Treatment for acute renal failure typically involves identifying and treating the underlying cause of the condition. This may include medications to control blood pressure and balance the amount of fluids in the body, dialysis to remove waste and excess fluid from the blood, and in severe cases, kidney transplant.

Prognosis

The prognosis for acute renal failure depends on the underlying cause, the patient's overall health, and how quickly treatment is started. Some people may recover normal kidney function, but others may have lasting kidney damage or may require long-term dialysis.

See Also

• Chronic kidney disease
• Kidney transplant
• Dialysis