Acute kidney failure (AKI) - get informed - MEDICINE

Acute kidney failure occurs when your kidneys suddenly become unable to filter waste products from your blood. When your kidneys lose their filtering ability, dangerous levels of wastes may accumulate, and your blood's chemical makeup may get out of balance.

Acute kidney failure — also called acute renal failure or acute kidney injury — develops rapidly over a few hours or a few days. Acute kidney failure is most common in people who are already hospitalized, particularly in critically ill people who need intensive care.

Acute kidney failure can be fatal and requires intensive treatment. However, acute kidney failure may be reversible. If you're otherwise in good health, you may recover normal or nearly normal kidney function.

What are the symptoms?
☛Decreased urine output, although occasionally urine output remains normal
☛Fluid retention, causing swelling in your legs, ankles or feet
☛Drowsiness
☛Shortness of breath
☛Fatigue
☛Confusion
☛Nausea
☛Seizures or coma in severe cases
☛Chest pain or pressure
☛Sometimes acute kidney failure causes no signs or symptoms and is detected through lab tests done for another reason.

Causes
Decreased blood flow
Some diseases and conditions can slow blood flow to your kidneys and cause AKI. These diseases and conditions include:
☛Low blood pressure (called “hypotension”) or shock
☛Blood or fluid loss (such as bleeding, severe diarrhea)
☛Heart attack, heart failure, and other conditions leading to decreased heart function
☛Organ failure (e.g., heart, liver)
☛Overuse of pain medicines called “NSAIDs”, which are used to reduce swelling or relieve pain from headaches, colds, flu, and other ailments.  Examples include ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and naproxen.
☛Severe allergic reactions
☛Burns
☛Injury
☛Major surgery

Direct Damage to the Kidneys
Some disease and conditions can damage your kidneys and lead to AKI. Some examples include:
☛A type of severe, life-threatening infection called “sepsis”
☛A type of cancer called “multiple myeloma”
☛A rare condition that causes inflammation and scarring to your blood vessels, making them stiff, weak, and narrow (called “vasculitis”)
☛An allergic reaction to certain types of drugs (called “interstitial nephritis”)
☛A group of diseases (called “scleroderma”) that affect the connective tissue that supports your internal organs
☛Conditions that cause inflammation or damage to the kidney tubules, to the small blood vessels in the kidneys, or to the filtering units in the kidneys (such as “tubular necrosis,” “glomerulonephritis, “vasculitis” or “thrombotic microangiopathy”).

Blockage of the urinary tract
In some people, conditions or diseases can block the passage of urine out of the body and can lead to AKI. Blockage can be caused by:
☛Bladder, prostate, or cervical cancer
☛Enlarged prostate
☛Problems with the nervous system that affect the bladder and urination
☛Kidney stones
☛Blood clots in the urinary tract

What is the treatment for acute kidney failure?
Treatment for AKI usually requires you to stay in a hospital. Most people with acute kidney injury are already in the hospital for another reason.  How long you will stay in the hospital depends on the cause of your AKI and how quickly your kidneys recover. In more serious cases, dialysis may be needed to help replace kidney function until your kidneys recover. The main goal of your healthcare provider is to treat what is causing your acute kidney injury. Your healthcare provider will work to treat all of your symptoms and complications until your kidneys recover.

Sources:https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/AcuteKidneyInjury
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/kidney-failure/basics/definition/con-20024029

Infographic via reddit

Source: Corina Marinescu