Acute Renal Failure Prognosis

Despite the ominous sounding name, acute renal failure is actually the most treatable of the three stages of renal failure. It's typically the first warning sign of an underlying medical problem and can be managed with proper care.

What is Acute Renal Failure?

• Acute renal failure has several symptoms and only a few are exclusive to the condition, which is why a full medical check-up is typically required to diagnose the problem. The cardinal symptom is greatly reduced urine output caused by a kidney or kidneys that are not functioning properly. Other symptoms include drowsiness, fatigue, headaches and back pain in the lower back near the kidneys.

The Caues of Acute Renal Failure

• Renal failure is caused by impaired blood flow to the kidneys, which reduces their ability to filter out waste from the bloodstream and process urine. This accounts for the reduced output of urine and other symptoms that result from the build-up of waste products in the bloodstream. In a general sense, the body becomes toxic because the kidneys are unable to do their jobs properly. Primary causes of renal failure are diabetes and high blood pressure, conditions that impair the flow of the blood to the kidneys. Renal failure can also be the result of kidney disease or long-term abuse of alcohol or drugs, which puts undue strain on the kidneys.

Other Risk Factors

• Vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis--or hardening of the arteries--can lead to renal failure by weakening the flow of blood to the kidneys. The side effects of vascular surgery can also produce problems if a piece of plaque is dislodged and ends up blocking the kidney, a condition known as atheroembolism.

Renal Failure Treatment

• The good news for people with acute renal failure is that it's the most treatable form. Intravenous antibiotics or other medications can clear up an attack and allow physicians to treat the underlying cause with medications and changes in diet that reduce the intake of salt, phosphorus and potassium, things that are not processed properly when the kidneys are impaired. In some case, physicians may recommend angioplasty or similar treatments to improve blood flow.

The Bottom Line

• Patients showing symptoms of acute renal failure will typically undergo procedures like scans and abdominal ultrasound to determine whether blood flow to the kidneys is being impaired. Once diagnosed, the goal is to treat the problem and prevent it from advancing to chronic renal failure or end-stage renal failure, which eventually require dialysis or a kidney transplant to ensure survival.