The Pathophisiology of Acute Renal Failure

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) has historically suffered from heterogeneous definitions. The first efforts to define AKI date back to the 17th century. Nevertheless, the expression “acute renal failure” appeared in the earliest period in 1951. Since then, investigators and clinicians have utilized many definitions bring about a lack of clarity and preventing comparable research. The expression “acute kidney injury (AKI)” was introduced in the recent past to substitute the previous term of acute kidney failure or acute renal failure. It was suggested to cover all forms of insults to the kidney in the wider term of AKI. AKI is defined as an abrupt (e.g. within 48 h) and sustained decrease in renal function, leading to retention of nitrogenous (creatinine

Intrarenal acute renal failure- accounts for 30% to 40% of the cases of ARF- generally results from acute tubular necrosis due to disturbances within the glomerulus or renal tubules. ATN most often occurs after surgery but is also associated with sepsis, severe trauma, including severe burns,

As simple as this urinary system may sound there are also complication such as acute renal failure or acute kidney failure, this occurs when the kidneys suddenly are unable to filter waste products from the blood. When kidneys lose their filtering ability, dangerous levels of wastes may accumulate and the blood 's chemical makeup may get out of balance (mayo clinic, 1998). Acute renal failure is categories into three different stages prerenal, intrarenal, and postrenal.

Acute renal failure is when the kidneys suddenly are unable to filter the blood of the waste products. Acute renal failure is alternatively called acute kidney failure or acute kidney injury. The causes of acute renal failure are divided into three categories based on their point of origin: prerenal, intrarenal, and post renal. The most common type of acute renal failure is prerenal, which can be described as a sudden drop in blood pressure or an interruption in blood flow to the kidneys. The common causes of prerenal AFR include hypovolemia, reduced renal perfusion, and septic shock. "Prerenal AFR is generally reversible when renal perfusion pressure is restored" (Liu, pg.98). Intrarenal, or intrinsic, acute renal failure is caused by acute tubular necrosis, renal artery obstruction, renal vein obstruction, interstitial nephritis, and glomerulonephritis. Postrenal occurs between the kidney and the urethral meatus. The major causes to postrenal AFR are tubular precipitation, urethral obstruction and bladder obstruction. Acute renal failure has four phases: onset, oliguria, diuresis and recovery. Onset begins with onset of the event and lasts for hours to days. The oliguria stage doesn't always occur in certain patients; however it lasts for 8-15 days. Oliguria deals with multiple acid-base balance diseases. The diuresis stage begins when the kidneys start to recover

Acute renal failure is a disorder of the urinary system. It involves the loss of kidney function and may occur suddenly. Acute renal failure occurs when blood flow to the kidneys is decreased. There are numerous reasons why there may be a decrease in renal function. A urinary tract obstruction, low blood pressure, illness, inflammation of the kidneys, and harmful substances are examples of causes of acute renal failure. These causes have different origins. The causes are separated into prerenal, intrarenal, and postrenal. Prerenal causes of acute renal failure are caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure. It may also be due to an "interruption of blood flow to the kidneys from severe injury or illness"(Stanbridge College, 2014). Prerenal is the most common cause of acute renal failure. Intrarenal is caused by harmful substances, infection, and inflammation. These cause direct damage to the kidneys. Postrenal is due to a decrease in urine flow. Obstruction of urine may be caused by renal calculi, injury, strictures, an enlarged prostate, or a tumor in the bladder.

Kidney failure is the result of kidney disease that has either not been treated, or failed to respond to treatment. Some kidney diseases are: Acute kidney failure (potentially reversible), Acute nephritic syndrome, Goodpasture syndrome, Atheroembolic renal disease, Glomerulonephritis, Polycystic kidney disease, and chronic kidney failure (end stage) (United States National Library, 2010). The usual treatment for kidney failure is medication and dialysis. Dialysis is used for end stage kidney failure, when the patient has lost

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) refers to the rapid decline of renal filtration and urine production. There are several causes for AKI but the damage is often due to an injury which causes functional and/or structural deviations in the kidney. This can lead to many different complications such an increased risk of chronic kidney disease, or it can effect other organ systems. Additionally, AKI can also potentially lead to death.

the body. Acute Renal Failure is often the result of an infection, an injury, major

"In 2009, there were 116,395 new kidney failure diagnoses, 571,414 people living with kidney failure and 90,118 deaths among people with kidney failure ". (1) Renal failure is a type of disease that happened to kidneys and prevent them from working properly. Renal failure can occur as an acute or chronic renal failure. Chronic renal failure describes abnormal kidneys structure and loss of kidneys function. It is often accompany with other conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it can be unrecognized because of the existence of other diseases and lack of symptoms.(2) In fact, chronic renal failure happened and developed slowly in three stages, which are diminished renal reserve, renal insufficiency, and end stage renal disease.

Matthew is an 18 year old student with a medical history of postrenal Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) at birth, secondary to Posterior Bilateral Urethral Valves (PUVs). The causes of AKI are divided into three categories: prerenal, (reduction in the normal amount of blood flow and fluid in the body) intrinsic, (damage to the renal tissues impairing renal function) and postrenal, (obstruction in the urinary tract below the kidneys),

Prerenal cute renal failure is a result of decreased blood flow to the kidneys. It can be a result cardiac failure and of intravascular volume depletion such as hemorrhage and burns. Without adequate blood flow the glomerular filtration rate is reduced as well as the amount of

The kidneys are the organs in the body that serves a number of functions, including filtering waste products from the blood, regulating blood pressure and red blood cell production in the body, and balancing electrolytes. When kidney failure sets in, a number of symptoms can be experienced by patients that results from the build-up of waste products and excess fluid in the body. This disruption of the kidneys’ function can lead to symptoms such as weakness, shortness of breath, lethargy, swelling, confusion, sleep disruption, nausea and vomiting, and loss of appetite, among other unpleasant symptoms. Kidney disease can be caused by a number of underlying diseases and conditions, and while some caused of kidney failure are treatable, it can

Kidney failure may often lead to the need for kidney dialysis. The kidneys play a very important role in filtering the waste, toxins, and water from the body. When the kidneys fail to properly do their job various wastes and excess fluids can build up in the body, leading to swelling and edema. The two most common causes of kidney failure are acute renal injury and chronic kidney disease. Signs and symptoms are not always present right away. It may take some time to notice these signs and symptoms. Some signs and symptoms include increased levels of urea in the blood, a buildup of phosphates and potassium in the blood, anemia, and edema. Glomerular filtration rate is used to determine which of the five stages of kidney failure an individual is at. Glomerular filtration rate determines level of kidney function.

Pre-renal failure is caused by a decrease in renal perfusion, which leads to a decrease in the rate of filtration of blood through the glomerulus. Pre-renal failure is often caused by sepsis or cardiogenic shock. Intrarenal faliure is caused by damage to the renal tubule, nephron, or renal blood vessels. Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) is the most common form of intrarenal failure. However, intrarenal failure may also be caused by nephrotoxic drugs. Post-renal failure is most often caused by obstruction from kidney stone or stricture, which increases the renal interstital pressure which damages Bowman capsile. Treatment of post-renal failure is focused on removing the

Chronic Renal Failure is a long term serious irreversible condition, described as the gradual loss of kidney function (McCarthy, et al 2009). The number of patients suffering from CRF in United Kingdom (UK) is rising rapidly. Ferenbach and Wood (2005, p.16) state that in UK, about 6000 people are commencing dialysis treatment per year. Fluid overload is a frequently observed finding in renal failure patients. About one third of the patients receiving dialysis for Chronic Renal Failure have fluid overload despite advice to restrict their oral fluid intake (Roderick, et al 2004).