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.
Kidney failure; Renal failure; Renal failure - acute; ARF; Kidney injury - acute
There are many possible causes of kidney damage. They include:
Symptoms of acute kidney failure may include any of the following:
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:
Dialysis will most often be short term. In some cases, the kidney damage is so great that dialysis is needed permanently.
Stuart Goldstein is a Nephrologist and a Pediatric Nephrologist in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Goldstein has been practicing medicine for over 32 years and is rated as an Elite doctor by MediFind in the treatment of Acute Kidney Failure. He is also highly rated in 12 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Acute Kidney Failure, Chronic Kidney Disease, High Blood Pressure in Infants, and Glomerulonephritis. He is licensed to treat patients in Ohio. Dr. Goldstein is currently accepting new patients.
Marlies Ostermann is a Nephrologist and an Intensive Care Medicine expert in London, United Kingdom. Ostermann is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Acute Kidney Failure. They are also highly rated in 2 other conditions, according to our data. Their top areas of expertise are Acute Kidney Failure, Chronic Kidney Disease, Kidney Transplant, and Low Sodium Level.
Sean Bagshaw is in Edmonton, Canada. Bagshaw is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Acute Kidney Failure. He is also highly rated in 8 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Acute Kidney Failure, Sepsis, Chronic Kidney Disease, and Acute Tubular Necrosis.
Call your provider if your urine output slows or stops or you have other symptoms of acute kidney failure.
To prevent acute kidney failure:
Published Date : June 19, 2020
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 Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Molitoris BA. Acute kidney injury. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 112.
Oh MS, Briefel G. 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. 23rd ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2017:chap 14.
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.