Acute Renal Failure Infection

Acute renal failure is a very serious condition in which your kidneys suddenly stop working. Your kidneys are some of the most important parts of your body, as they remove waste products and help balance water, salt, minerals, and electrolytes in your blood. By extension, if your kidneys stop working waste products, fluids and electrolytes build up in your body which can cause very severe and sometimes deadly problems.

The Facts

• Acute renal failure also goes by the names acute kidney failure and acute kidney injury, though all three mean the same thing. This medical emergency is characterized by a loss of renal function due to damage to the kidneys. What results is the retention of urea, creatinine and non-nitrogenous waste products that are usually disposed of by the kidney. Renal failure is also usually accompanied by metabolic disturbances, such as acidification of the blood, elevated potassium levels and changes in body fluid balance. Acute renal failure also can drastically affect the other important organs in the body and affect whether they work properly.

Types

• Acute renal failure doesn't necessarily have different types, though it is categorized according to cause, which include prerenal, intrinsic and postrenal. Prerenal causes acute renal failure because of something in the blood supply. Some of the ways prerenal can occur include shock, dehydration, vascular problems, systematic inflammation due to infection and sequestration caused by pancreatitis. Intrinsic refers to damage of the kidney itself and it is irreversible. It can occur due to toxins or medications, blunt trauma to the area in the body where the kidneys are located or multiple myeloma, among other things. Postrenal contributes to acute renal failure when there are obstructions in the urinary tract due to medication, prostate cancer, or kidney stones, among other things.

Prevention/Solution

• Acute renal failure can be detected by telling your doctor the symptoms you have, the medicines you take, your medical history and what tests you've had. Blood and urine tests also can determine how well your kidneys are working. A chemistry screen can show if you have normal levels of sodium, potassium and calcium. Those who've been diagnosed with acute renal failure may have to undergo dialysis and take daily antibiotics until their kidneys have been stabilized.

Considerations

• You have a greater chance of being diagnosed with acute renal failure if you're an older adult or you have already been diagnosed with health problems such as kidney or liver disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or obesity. If you fall into one or more of these categories, you may want to make blood and urine tests a part of your regular check-up routine with your doctor, just to ensure that your kidneys are working properly.

Warning

• Some people may not have symptoms of acute renal failure, which makes the problem very hard to detect. If, however, you have swelling in your legs and feet, there is little or no urine when you urinate, you are experiencing loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, feelings of confusion, anxiety, restlessness, or excessive sleepiness, or have pain in your back just below the rib cage; you may be at risk of acute renal failure.