Acute Renal Failure Vs. Chronic

Renal (kidney) failure is a malfunction of the kidneys that prevents the emission of wastes and the preservation of the electrolyte balance. The National Institute of Health says acute kidney failure is the sudden but temporary loss of the kidneys' ability to function. Chronic renal failure is gradual and gets progressively worse. It is frequently symptomatic of another disease such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

Acute Renal Failure

• Acute kidney failure is potentially life-threatening and may require intensive medical treatment. When your kidney's filtering ability fails, unsafe amounts of fluid, electrolytes and waste build-up in your body. Once the underlying condition is diagnosed and treated, the kidneys usually resume their normal functioning in several weeks to a few months.

Causes of Acute Renal Failure

• The Mayo Clinic notes that the majority of people who suffer from acute kidney failure are already in the hospital, often in intensive care, due to a severe injury, a difficult surgery or a serious infection. These critical medical situations can disrupt blood flow to your kidneys.

Symptoms of Acute Renal Failure

• Symptoms of acute kidney failure may include decreased output of urine, fluid retention, shortness of breath, confusion, and in severe cases seizures or coma. In some cases chronic renal disease may occur.

Treatment

• Acute renal failure therapy involves treating the primary illness or injury that triggered the condition. Once that's under control, your fluid intake will be limited to prevent accumulation of excess fluids and wastes in your blood. You will most likely be placed on a high-carbohydrate, low-protein and low-potassium diet while your kidneys are on the mend.

  Most cases of acute renal failure require temporary hemodialysis, commonly referred to as kidney dialysis. Dialysis helps rid your body of toxins and surplus fluids.

Chronic Renal Failure

• Chronic renal failure (CRF) frequently takes place over several years as the internal makeup of the kidney suffer gradual damaged. The Mayo Clinic says many people with chronic kidney failure are unaware there is a problem until their kidneys are operating at 25 percent of their normal capabilities.

  The two most common causes of chronic renal failure are diabetes and high blood pressure. Other conditions that may trigger CRF include an enlarged prostate, kidney stones or tumors.

Symptoms of Chronic Renal Failure

• At the onset there may be no indication that chronic renal failure is developing. As the condition worsens you may experience high blood pressure, nausea or vomiting, fatigue, sleep disturbances and swelling of the feet and ankles.

Treating Chronic Renal Failure

• No cure exists from chronic kidney failure but treatment can help manage and delay progression of the disease. The first order of business is to manage the condition responsible for your kidney failure. Most patients are treated with blood pressure lowering medications to aid in the preservation of kidney function.

  In addition, limiting the amount of protein in your diet may help slow down kidney failure and ease symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and lack of appetite.

  The point varies at which dialysis or a kidney transplant become viable treatment options. The Mayo Clinic says doctors try to control chronic kidney failure as long as possible because both dialysis and transplants have possibly life-threatening complications.