Your kidneys, like every other organ in your body, perform multiple functions. Their main function is to eliminate waste as well as extra fluid from your blood. Now when your kidneys are damaged, they stop functioning the way they should. If there’s a decrease in kidney function that happens over time, then you’re most likely to be affected with chronic kidney failure.

If your kidneys stop working abruptly, then it might be a case of acute kidney failure (or acute renal failure). It might take place over just a few hours or days.

Acute renal failure isn’t always incurable. If you get the right treatment without any delay, your kidneys may go back to working normally again.

Symptoms of Acute Renal Failure

Make sure to identify the following symptoms as they’ll depend on how bad your loss of kidney function is, how quickly you lose kidney function, and most importantly the reasons for your kidney failure.

  • Swelling in your legs, ankles, and feet (usually caused by your body retaining fluids)
  • Drowsiness or feeling extremely very tired
  • Urinating less than normal
  • Shortness of breath
  • Loss of appetite
  • Chest pain or pressure
  • Stomach or back pain

Causes of Acute Renal Failure

There are three main reasons for kidney failure:

  1. Insufficient supply of blood to your kidneys due to various reasons:
    • Liver failure
    • Infection
    • Blood pressure medications
    • Heart failure
    • Severe burns or dehydration
    • Blood or fluid loss
  2. Retention of urine in the kidneys. This could occur due to:
    • Bladder, cervical, colon or prostate cancer
    • Blood clots in your urinary tract
    • An enlarged prostate
    • Kidney stones
  3. Kidney damage occuring due to the following reasons:
    • Blood clots
    • Cholesterol deposits
    • Medications that can directly cause damage to kidneys
    • Glomerulonephritis (inflamed kidney filters, can be caused by an infection

Are you at a risk of acquiring Acute Renal Failure?

Most of the time, kidney failure happens along with another medical condition or event. If you fall into any of the following categories, you may have a greater chance of acute renal failure:

  • You have been hospitalized for a long time, especially in intensive care.
  • You have diabetes
  • You’re an elderly individual
  • You have coronary artery disease
  • You have high blood pressure
  • You have chronic kidney or liver disease

So, how do doctors diagnose Kidney Failure?

Your doctor will start with a physical exam, followed by tests of your blood, urine, and kidneys.

Blood tests: These measure the levels of two substances in your blood- creatinine and urea nitrogen.

Creatinine is a waste product in your blood that is an outcome of muscle activity. Generally, it is removed from your blood by your kidneys. But if those organs stop functioning, your creatinine level rises.

Urea nitrogen is another waste product present in your blood. It’s created when protein from the foods you eat is broken down. Like creatinine, your kidneys remove this from your blood. When your kidneys stop functioning, your urea nitrogen levels rise.

Urine tests: Your urine will be used to detect the presence of blood and protein. The results will help a doctor to understand the cause of your kidney failure.

Imaging tests: Some tests, like ultrasonography or a CT scan, can show whether your kidneys are enlarged or there’s a blockage in your urine flow.

Treatment for Kidney Failure

If there aren’t any major problems, the kidneys may heal themselves.

In most other cases, acute kidney failure can be treated if it is detected early. It may involve altering your regular diet chart, the use of medications, or even dialysis.

Diet: You will be asked by your doctor to limit the amount of salt and potassium you consume. This is because both these substances are removed from your body through your kidneys. Altering what you eat won’t cure your acute kidney failure but modifying your diet a little can help.

Medications: Your doctor may prescribe medicines that regulate the amount of phosphorus and potassium in your blood. Medications won’t help your kidneys, but they may reduce some of the problems kidney failure causes.

Dialysis: If your kidney damage is severe enough, you may be required to undergo hemodialysis until your kidneys can heal. Dialysis takes over the work of kidneys until they are properly healed. If you kidneys show no signs of healing, dialysis could be a long-term scenario.

Acute kidney failure should be treated with utmost care. Therefore, Fortis International Hospitals offer acute renal failure treatment of the highest quality.