Acute kidney failure, also called acute kidney injury, is the loss of ability of the kidneys to seep through the blood, causing the accumulation of toxins, minerals and liquids in the bloodstream.
This is a serious condition, and it mainly occurs in people who are seriously ill, who are dehydrated, who use drugs that are toxic to the kidneys, that are elderly or that already have some previous kidney disease, because they are situations that more easily lead to changes in the functioning of the organ.
The symptoms of kidney failure depend on its cause and the severity of the condition, and include:
- Fluid retention, causing swelling in the legs or body;
- Reduction of normal amount of urine, although in some cases it may be normal;
- Change in color of urine, which may become darker, brownish or reddish;
- Nausea, vomiting;
- Loss of appetite;
- Shortness of breath;
- Weakness, tiredness;
- High pressure;
- Cardiac arrhythmias;
- High pressure;
- Tremors;
- Mental confusion, restlessness, seizures and even eating.
It is important to remember that the milder cases of renal failure may not cause symptoms, and this be discovered in exams done for another cause.
Chronic renal failure occurs when there is a slow and gradual loss of kidney function, which is more common in people with chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, nephropathy or vascular disease, and may not cause any symptoms for many years, until it becomes severe. Also check out what are the stages of chronic kidney disease, its symptoms and treatment.
How to confirm
Renal failure is detected by the doctor through blood tests such as urea and creatinine dosages, which indicate changes in renal filtration when elevated.
However, more specific tests are needed to assess the level of kidney function, such as creatinine clearance, urine tests to identify its characteristics and components, and imaging of the kidneys such as Doppler ultrasonography, example.
Other tests are also needed to evaluate the consequences of kidney failure in the body, such as blood count, blood pH and dosage of minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium and phosphorus.
In the latter case, when the cause of the disease has not been identified, the doctor may request a kidney biopsy. Check the situations in which the kidney biopsy can be indicated and how it is done.
How to treat acute kidney failure
The first step in the treatment of acute kidney failure is to identify and treat its cause, which can range from simple hydration to dehydrated people, suspension of toxic kidney medicines, removal of a stone, or use of medicines to control a kidney. autoimmune disease that affects the kidneys, for example.
Hemodialysis may be indicated when renal failure is severe and causes many symptoms, severe changes in mineral salt rates, blood acidity, too high blood pressure or too much fluid accumulation, for example. Understand how hemodialysis works and when it is indicated.
In many cases of acute renal failure, it is possible to partially or fully recover kidney function with appropriate treatment. However, in cases where the involvement of these organs has been severe, in addition to the association of risk factors such as the existence of diseases or age, for example, chronic insufficiency may arise, requiring follow-up with the nephrologist and, in some cases, to frequent hemodialysis.
Also learn more details about treating chronic kidney disease.
