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Acute kidney failure - Overview

Alternative Names

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

Definition of Acute kidney failure:

Acute (sudden) kidney failure is the sudden loss of the ability of the kidneys to remove waste and concentrate urine without losing electrolytes.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

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

Acute tubular necrosis (ATN)
Autoimmune kidney disease, including:
- Acute nephritic syndrome
- Interstitial nephritis
Decreased blood flow due to very low blood pressure, which can result from:
- Burns
- Dehydration
- Hemorrhage
- Injury
- Septic shock
- Serious illness
- Surgery
Disorders that cause clotting within the kidney's blood vessels:
- Hemolytic-uremic syndrome
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic thrombotic purpura (ITTP)
- Malignant hypertension
- Transfusion reaction
- Scleroderma
Infections that directly injury the kidney such as:
- Acute pyelonephritis
- Septicemia
Pregnancy complications, including:
- Placenta abruptio
- Placenta previa
Urinary tract obstruction

Kidney anatomy

Reviewed last on: 7/11/2008
Parul Patel, MD, Private Practice specializing in Nephrology and Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, Affiliated with California Pacific Medical Center, Department of Transplantation, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Clarkson MR, Friedewald JJ, Eustace JA, Rabb H. Acute Kidney Injury. In: Brenner BM, ed. Brenner: Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap. 29.

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