Learn About Acute Kidney Failure

What is the definition of Acute Kidney Failure?

Acute kidney failure is the rapid (less than 2 days) loss of your kidneys' ability to remove waste and help balance fluids and electrolytes in your body.

What are the alternative names for Acute Kidney Failure?

Kidney failure; Renal failure; Renal failure - acute; ARF; Kidney injury - acute

What are the causes of Acute Kidney Failure?

There are many possible causes of kidney damage. They include:

  • Acute tubular necrosis (ATN; damage to the tubule cells of the kidneys)
  • Autoimmune kidney disease
  • Blood clot in the blood vessels to the kidneys
  • Decreased blood flow from cholesterol (cholesterol emboli)
  • Decreased blood flow due to very low blood pressure, which can result from burns, dehydration, hemorrhage, injury, septic shock, serious illness, or surgery
  • Disorders that cause clotting within the kidney blood vessels
  • Infections that directly injure the kidney, such as acute pyelonephritis or septicemia
  • Pregnancy complications, including placental abruption or placenta previa
  • Urinary tract blockage
  • Illicit drugs such as cocaine and heroin
  • Medicines including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), certain antibiotics and blood pressure medicines, intravenous contrast (dye), some cancer and HIV medicines
What are the symptoms of Acute Kidney Failure?

Symptoms of acute kidney failure may include any of the following:

  • Blood in the stools
  • Blood in the urine
  • Breath odor and metallic taste in the mouth
  • Bruising easily
  • Changes in mental status or mood
  • Decreased appetite
  • Decreased sensation, especially in the hands or feet
  • Fatigue or slow sluggish movements
  • Flank pain (between the ribs and hips)
  • Hand tremor
  • Heart murmur
  • High blood pressure
  • Nausea or vomiting, may last for days
  • Nosebleeds
  • Persistent hiccups
  • Prolonged bleeding
  • Seizures
  • Shortness of breath
  • Swelling due to the body keeping in fluid (may be seen in the legs, ankles, and feet)
  • Urination changes, such as little or no urine, excessive urination at night, or urination that stops completely
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What are the current treatments for Acute Kidney Failure?

Once the cause is found, the goal of treatment is to help your kidneys work again and prevent fluid and waste from building up in your body while they heal. Usually, you will have to stay overnight in the hospital for treatment.

The amount of liquid you drink will be limited to the amount of urine you can produce. You will be told what you may and may not eat to reduce the buildup of toxins that the kidneys would normally remove. Your diet may need to be high in carbohydrates and low in protein, salt, and potassium.

You may need antibiotics to treat or prevent infection. Water pills (diuretics) may be used to help remove fluid from your body.

Medicines will be given through a vein to help control your blood potassium level.

You may need dialysis. This is a treatment that does what healthy kidneys normally do -- rid the body of harmful wastes, extra salt, and water. Dialysis can save your life if your potassium levels are dangerously high. Dialysis will also be used if:

  • Your mental status changes
  • You develop pericarditis
  • You retain too much fluid
  • You cannot remove nitrogen waste products from your body

Dialysis will most often be short term. In some cases, the kidney damage is so great that dialysis is needed permanently.

Who are the top Acute Kidney Failure Local Doctors?
Katrina M. Maher
Family Medicine
Family Medicine

St Peters Health

3330 Ptarmigan Ln, 
Helena, MT 
 3.7 mi
Accepting New Patients
Offers Telehealth

Katrina Maher is a Family Medicine provider in Helena, Montana. Dr. Maher and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Acute Kidney Failure. Her top areas of expertise are Vertigo, Low Sodium Level, Familial Hypertension, and Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism. Dr. Maher is currently accepting new patients.

Geriatrics | Internal Medicine
Geriatrics | Internal Medicine

Benefis Hospitals Inc

2960 N Washington St, 
Helena, MT 
 4.6 mi
Accepting New Patients

Thomas Addison is a Geriatrics specialist and an Internal Medicine provider in Helena, Montana. Dr. Addison and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Acute Kidney Failure. His top areas of expertise are Idiopathic Edema, Anemia, Trichohepatoenteric Syndrome, and Diarrhea. Dr. Addison is currently accepting new patients.

 
 
 
 
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Family Medicine
Family Medicine

Helena Indian Alliance Inc

501 Euclid Ave, 
Helena, MT 
 3.0 mi
Accepting New Patients

Jennifer Brunsdon is a Family Medicine provider in Helena, Montana. Dr. Brunsdon and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Acute Kidney Failure. Her top areas of expertise are Low Sodium Level, Gitelman Syndrome, Low Potassium Level, and Vertigo. Dr. Brunsdon is currently accepting new patients.

When should I contact a medical professional for Acute Kidney Failure?

Contact your provider if your urine output slows or stops or you have other symptoms of acute kidney failure.

How do I prevent Acute Kidney Failure?

To prevent acute kidney failure:

  • Health problems such as high blood pressure or diabetes should be well controlled.
  • Avoid drugs and medicines that can cause kidney injury.
What are the latest Acute Kidney Failure Clinical Trials?
Impact of the Characteristics of Acute Renal Failure in Intensive Care on the Long-term Renal Prognosis: Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study

Summary: The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) characteristics on long-term renal prognosis in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients.

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Search for Novel Methods to Detect Acute Renal Failure

Summary: The purpose of this study is to find substances in the blood and urine that indicate that a person has kidney damage. It will identify proteins found only in patients with acute kidney failure but not in normal healthy people or in patients with volume depletion. Adults and children who are at least 3 years old who fall into one of the following four categories may be eligible for this study: 1. A...

What are the Latest Advances for Acute Kidney Failure?
Acute renal failure during treatment with Zoledronate in cancer patients.
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Who are the sources who wrote this article ?

Published Date: May 06, 2024
Published By: Walead Latif, MD, Nephrologist and Clinical Associate Professor, Rutgers Medical School, Newark, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

What are the references for this article ?

Agarwal A, Barasch J. Acute kidney injury. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 106.

Oh MS, Briefel G, Pincus MR. Evaluation of renal function, water, electrolytes, and acid-base balance. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 15.

Weisbord SD, Palevsky PM. Prevention and management of acute kidney injury. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 29.