Acute Kidney Disease

What Causes Acute Kidney Disease and Acute Renal Failure? 

Acute kidney disease results from damage to the nephrons, the tiny structures inside your kidneys that filter blood. This damage, if left untreated, can lead to acute renal failure. Acute renal failure is a medical emergency. It is life threatening.

Acute kidney disease is the sudden and unexpected loss of your kidneys' normal function. Individuals with acute kidney disease can no longer eliminate excess fluid and salts (known as electrolytes) and waste materials from the bloodstream. Acute kidney disease causes fluid levels in your body to rise and wastes accumulate.

Acute renal failure, which is also called acute kidney injury, develops rapidly over a few hours or a few days. Is it different from chronic renal failure, which may takes years to progress to a dangerous stage.

Acute renal failure causes

Acute kidney disease often happens to individuals who are already in the hospital, especially those who are critically ill people and in need of intensive care.

Acute renal failure causes include the following.

1. Diseases and conditions that slow down or reduce the amount of blood flowing through the kidneys. Acute renal failure causes often include a sudden blood loss, heart trouble, infections, dehydration, burns, severe allergic reactions and cirrhosis.

Certain drugs and medications, especially nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and certain blood pressure medications are also included in the list of acute renal failure causes.

2. Diseases, conditions and drugs that damage the kidneys, including blood clots, blocked arteries, kidney infections, lupus and certain forms of cancer. Medications like chemotherapies, antiobiotics and dyes used during imaging tests can also hurt the kidneys. Alcohol abuse and cocaine also fit in this category.

3. Diseases and conditions that block urine from leaving the body are also acute renal failure causes. This includes certain cancers (especially bladder, cervical, colon and prostate); clots in the urinary tract, kidney stones, and bladder nerve damage.

Learn more about the dangers of kidney disease
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The Kidney Disease Solution