Acute kidney failure, also known as acute kidney damage, is the loss of the kidneys’ ability to filter blood, causing toxins, minerals and fluids to build up in the bloodstream.
This situation is serious and occurs mainly in people who are seriously ill, dehydrated, who consume toxic drugs for the kidneys, who are elderly or who already have previous kidney disease, as they are situations that most easily lead to kidney disorders. functioning of the organ.
Symptoms of kidney failure depend on the cause and severity of the disease and include:
It is important to remember that milder cases of kidney failure may not cause symptoms, which can be discovered in tests for another cause.
Chronic kidney failure occurs when there is a slow and progressive loss of kidney function, which is more common in people with chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease or vascular disease, for example, and may not cause symptoms for many years. . , until it gets serious. Also find out what the stages of chronic kidney disease are, its symptoms and its treatment.
Your doctor detects kidney failure by blood tests, such as urea and creatinine measurements, that indicate changes in kidney filtration when elevated.
However, more specific tests are needed to assess the level of kidney function, such as creatinine clearance calculation, urine tests to identify its characteristics and components, as well as brain imaging tests such as doppler ultrasound for example. .
More tests are also needed to assess the consequences of kidney failure in the body, such as blood formula, blood pH, and dose of minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus.
In the latter case, when the cause of the disease has not been identified, your doctor may request a kidney biopsy, check for situations where a kidney biopsy may be indicated, and how it is performed.
The first step in treating acute kidney failure is to identify and treat its cause, which can range from simple hydration in dehydrated people, suspension of toxic kidney remedies, removal of a calculus or use of medications to control an autoimmune disease that affects the kidneys. For example.
Hemodialysis may be indicated when kidney failure is severe and causes many symptoms, such as severe changes in mineral salt levels, bloodburn, very high blood pressure, or excessive fluid buildup. Understand how hemodialysis works and when it’s indicated.
In many cases of acute renal failure it is possible to partially or completely regain kidney function with appropriate treatment; however, in cases where damage to these organs has been severe, in addition to the association of risk factors such as disease or age, for example, a chronic deficiency may occur, with the need for follow-up with the nephrologist and, in some cases, even the need for frequent haemodialysis.
Also learn more about treating chronic kidney failure.