Acute kidney failure

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Kidney anatomy

Acute (sudden) kidney failure is the sudden loss of the ability of the kidneys to remove waste and concentrate urine without losing electrolytes.

Kidney failure; Renal failure; Renal failure - acute; ARF

There are many possible causes of kidney damage. They include:

• Decreased blood flow, which may occur with extremely low blood pressure caused by trauma, surgery, serious illnesses, septic shock, hemorrhage, burns, or dehydration
• Acute tubular necrosis (ATN)
• Infections that directly injury the kidney such as acute pyelonephritis or septicemia
• Urinary tract obstruction (obstructive uropathy)
• Autoimmune kidney disease such as interstitial nephritis or acute nephritic syndrome
• Disorders that cause clotting within the thin blood vessels of the kidney
  • Idiopathic thrombocytopenic thrombotic purpura (ITTP)
  • Transfusion reaction
  • Malignant hypertension
  • Scleroderma,
  • Hemolytic-uremic syndrome
  • Disorders of childbirth, such as bleeding placenta abruptio or placenta previa

Review Date: 08/03/2006
Reviewed By: David M. Charytan, M.D., M.Sc., Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.