Acute Renal Failure Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

Acute Kidney Failure

Medical specialist	Internal medicine specialist, urologist
Symptoms	Infrequent urination (little urine), shortness of breath, swollen limbs
risk factor	Elderly, chronic kidney disease, consumption of certain drugs
diagnosis	Blood tests (kidney function)
Treatment	Highly dependent on cause (pre-renal, renal, post-renal)
Drug	Fluids, antibiotics, blood pressure boosters
Complications	Chronic kidney failure, death
When to see a doctor?	BAK is small and very concentrated, not BAK

Symptoms

There are several symptoms of acute kidney failure that are usually felt by sufferers, namely:

• Sufferers complain of nausea and vomiting
• Swelling of the legs or general swelling
• The patient shows pain in the abdomen
• In renal impairment due to dehydration, the patient may show signs of diarrhea or active bleeding.
• BAK a little
• Fatigue
• Hard to breathe

Reason

The causes of acute kidney failure are divided into three factors, namely prerenal, renal and postrenal factors. Below is an explanation.

1. Prerenal Factors

Prerenal factors are factors that cause worsening of kidney function before the kidneys.

One of the most common prerenal causes is hypovolemic shock, which is a fluid deprivation that causes reduced blood flow to the kidneys, for example due to bleeding or severe diarrhea.

Examples of other causes are due to heart disease, burns, severe allergic reactions, etc.

2. Renal Factor 

Renal factor means kidney failure occurs due to damage that occurs in the kidneys. Some disorders that can cause kidney damage directly are toxins, methanol and infection.

Conditions of severe infection (sepsis), scleroderma, multiple myeloma malignancy, and various kidney diseases are also included in the renal factor.

3. Post-renal factors 

Post-renal factor is a condition in which the kidneys can form urine quite well, but its flow in the urinary tract is obstructed.

This can be found in tumors in the lower abdomen (eg prostate, cervix, or bladder) which cause urine to become blocked and cause kidney damage.

Kidney stones can also cause obstruction to the flow of urine.

Risk Factors

Given the many possible causes of acute kidney failure, there are also a variety of risk factors that have the potential to cause this condition. Some of them are:

• Elderly (over 65 years)
• Blood pressure too low / hypotension
• Sepsis
• Lack of fluids/hypovolemia, including difficulty consuming fluids to meet daily fluid needs
• Chronic kidney disease
• Vascular disease
• Other chronic diseases, especially heart, liver, diabetes/diabetes 
• Use of nephrotoxic drugs (drugs that are toxic to the kidneys)

Diagnosis

Determination of the diagnosis of acute kidney failure is done through medical interviews and physical examination.

The medical interview may reveal a history of fluid loss in the form of diarrhea or heavy bleeding.

Patients may also complain of a decrease in the amount of urine e. In addition, on physical examination, signs of dehydration can be found.

Meanwhile, in severe kidney disorders can be found a decrease in consciousness. Laboratory tests also showed an increase in urea and creatinine.

Examination of kidney function is one of the main ways to diagnose acute kidney failure.

A urine examination e is also needed to determine the cause of kidney disorders. On an ultrasound examination of the kidneys, various things can be found, for example, the presence of kidney stones or swelling of the kidneys (hydronephrosis).

Treatment

Treatment of acute kidney disease depends on the cause of the kidney disorder. Treatment of acute kidney failure generally requires hospitalization (hospitalization).

If the cause is fluid deficiency, adequate fluid administration is necessary. In cases of obstruction to the outflow of urine, measures to relieve the blockage of flow need to be taken as soon as possible, for example by surgery.

Generally, a urinary catheter is required to monitor the amount of urine excreted.

In conditions of severe acute kidney failure, hemodialysis can be considered. Medicines to increase blood pressure, antibiotics, etc., can also be given according to indications and causes of acute kidney failure.

In addition, the administration of drugs for acute kidney failure will depend on the cause. Drugs that may be given, for example:

• Antibiotics
• Drugs to increase blood pressure
• Infusion fluids

Prevention

Here are some ways to prevent acute kidney failure that you can do:

• Avoid using drugs that are toxic to the kidneys. All medicines must always be taken according to the rules, as well as hard drugs taken under the supervision of a doctor
• Avoid consumption of mixed alcohol
• Drink enough water to prevent dehydration
• Monitor the amount of urine daily. Urine that is clear yellow in color indicates that the body is sufficiently hydrated
• Routine control if you have a chronic disease, to avoid kidney complications

Complications

This disease causes the kidneys to not work properly to get rid of the rest of the body’s metabolism. This can lead to complications of acute kidney failure, such as:

• A buildup of potassium in the blood, which can cause muscle weakness, paralysis, and heart rhythm disturbances
• Accumulation of fluid in the limbs and lungs (causing shortness of breath)
• Metabolic acidosis (blood condition is too acidic), which can cause nausea, vomiting, impaired consciousness, shortness of breath
• Chronic kidney disease
• Death

When to See a Doctor?

If symptoms of acute kidney failure arise, you should immediately see a doctor. Generally, the symptoms that are easy to notice are small or very dark-colored urination.

Don’t hesitate to chat directly with a urologist if you want to ask more questions about this disease.