Acute Renal Failure
Acute renal failure develops when the kidneys lose their ability to filter. As a result, dangerous waste substances can accumulate in the blood and uremic intoxication can occur.
Acute renal failure or acute renal injury - develops rapidly, usually within a few days, and can be fatal, so requires timely intensive treatment.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of acute renal failure may include:
- Decreased urine discharge
- Retention of fluid in the body leading to leg swelling
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Nausea, vomiting
- Severe general weakness and sleepiness
- Chest pain or burning sensation
- In severe cases, seizures or coma
Sometimes relatively mild acute renal failure may not cause severe symptoms and may be detected by laboratory tests carried out for other reasons.
When Should I Seek Medical Attention?
Contact a doctor or ambulance immediately if your family member develops any of the signs or symptoms listed above.
Causes of acute kidney failure can include the following:
- Primary kidney injury from various types of glomerulonephritis
- Conditions causing poor circulation or ischemia in the kidneys - e.g. heart failure, renal vascular thrombosis
- Urinary tract obstruction - which causes delayed evacuation of urine
Diseases that can damage or cause primary kidney injury and acute kidney failure:
- Glomerulonephritis
- Thrombosis of renal veins and arteries
- Cholesterol deposits in the renal arteries
- Viral and bacterial infections
- Systemic and autoimmune diseases
- Drugs - high doses of analgesics
- Toxins such as alcohol, heavy metals and cocaine
- Breakdown of muscle tissue (rhabdomyolysis)
- Breakdown of tumor cells (tumor lysis syndrome).
Illnesses and conditions that can affect the blood supply to the kidneys and cause kidney damage include:
- Loss of blood or fluid
- Drugs to treat hypertension
- Infection
- Liver failure
- Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
- Severe burns
- Severe dehydration
Diseases that block the passage of urine from the body (urinary tract obstruction) and can cause severe kidney damage are:
- Bladder cancer
- Cervical cancer - due to pressure on the urinary tract
- Colorectal cancer - due to pressure on the urinary tract
- Enlarged prostate and prostate cancer - due to pressure on the urinary tract
- Kidney stones
- Neurological diseases with impaired bladder innervation (e.g. spinal cord injury)
Risk Factors
The following are conditions that may increase the risk of acute renal failure:
- Hospitalization, especially due to a severe condition requiring intensive treatment
- Age
- Diabetes mellitus
- Heart failure
- Renal disease
- Liver diseases
- Certain cancers and their treatment
Complications
Complications of acute renal failure include:
- Fluid accumulation - acute renal failure can lead to an accumulation of excess fluid in the body and lungs
- Muscle weakness
- Permanent kidney injury - acute kidney failure can sometimes lead to permanent loss of kidney function requiring kidney replacement therapy - dialysis
Prevention
- Acute kidney failure is difficult to predict or prevent, but the risks can be reduced
- Excessive use of over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, etc. can increase the risk of kidney damage. Especially if you have a history of kidney disease, diabetes or high blood pressure
- Make a healthy lifestyle a priority. Be active and eat a balanced diet
