Know the Causes of Acute Kidney Failure and its Treatment |
Acute kidney failure occurs when the kidneys stop working suddenly. This condition can be caused by various things, such as reduced blood flow to the kidneys. However, with proper treatment, the kidneys can return to normal function.
In acute kidney failure, kidney function can be lost partially to completely lost. This condition occurs when the kidneys suddenly lose their ability to filter excess salt, fluid, and waste from the blood. If not filtered, these substances will accumulate in the body and cause various health problems.
Usually, acute kidney failure appears as a complication of serious illnesses, such as heart failure and diabetes. This condition can also occur in patients who receive treatment at the hospital, especially in the ICU.
Symptoms of Acute Kidney Failure
Symptoms of acute kidney failure appear depending on the severity of the condition. Here are the various symptoms of acute kidney failure:
- Decreased amount of urine
- Swollen feet due to excess body fluids
- Hard to breathe
- Fatigue
- Nauseous
- No appetite
- Joint pain
- Fever
- Bloody stools
- Easy bruising
- Nosebleed
- Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
- Chest pain
- Seizures or coma for severe cases of renal failure
However, not all cases of acute kidney failure cause symptoms. Acute kidney failure may only be discovered or discovered when you have laboratory tests for other medical conditions.
Causes of Acute Kidney Failure
Elderly people over 65 years of age and people with certain diseases or medical conditions are more at risk of developing acute kidney failure. Here are some diseases or medical conditions that are the main causes of acute kidney failure:
Reduced blood flow to the kidneys
There are certain diseases and conditions that can cause reduced blood flow to the kidneys and lead to kidney failure, namely:
- Infection
- Heart disease, including heart attack and heart failure
- heart failure
- Severe dehydration
- Heavy bleeding
- Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
- Burns of 3rd degree or more
- Taking hypertension medication, aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or COX-2 . enzyme inhibitors
Kidney damage
Acute kidney failure can also be caused by damage to the organ itself. Some diseases or conditions that can cause kidney damage are:
- Severe, life-threatening infection (sepsis)
- Blood clots in the blood vessels around the kidneys
- Glomerulonephritis
- Hemolytic uremic syndrome
- Lupus
- Blockage of blood flow to the kidneys due to fat accumulation
- Blood disorders, such as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)
- Scleroderma
- Exposure to toxic substances, such as alcohol, heavy metals, and cocaine
- Damage to muscle tissue (rhabdomyolysis)
Urinary blockage
In certain cases, obstruction of the urinary tract due to an illness or medical condition can lead to acute kidney failure. Diseases or medical conditions that can block the urinary tract are:
- prostate cancer
- Cervical cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Colon cancer
- Enlarged prostate (BPH)
- Kidney stones
- Blood clots in the urinary tract
- Nervous system disorders that affect the bladder and urination
In addition to some of the causes above, acute kidney failure can also be a complication of pregnancy disorders, such as placenta previa and placental abruption. Having had heart surgery, abdominal surgery, or a bone marrow transplant can also increase your risk of developing acute kidney failure.
Treatment of Acute Kidney Failure
In diagnosing acute kidney failure, the doctor will perform a series of tests to check the condition of the patient's blood, urine, and kidneys. These tests include:
- Blood tests, to measure the content of creatinine, urea nitrogen, potassium, and sodium in the blood, as well as check the glomerular filtration rate (GFR)
- Urine test, to check blood, protein, and electrolytes
- A test to measure the amount of urine that comes out in 24 hours
- Kidney biopsy, to determine kidney damage or abnormalities
- Ultrasound or CT scan, to show if there is a blockage in the urinary tract or an enlarged kidney
After the results of the diagnosis come out and the patient is declared to have acute kidney failure, the doctor will recommend treatment for acute kidney failure according to the cause and severity of the condition.
This treatment aims to restore kidney function so that there is no accumulation of waste and excess salt in the body.
The following are treatments for acute kidney failure:
Limit consumption of certain foods and drinks
To reduce the accumulation of waste due to suboptimal kidney function, patients with acute kidney failure should limit their consumption of food and drink, especially foods that are high in protein, salt, and potassium.
However, if acute renal failure is caused by dehydration, patients are advised to increase their intake of fluids or foods containing water.
Taking drugs
Medications such as antibiotics, diuretics, or insulin will usually be prescribed by a doctor to treat the cause of acute kidney failure.
Antibiotics are used to treat or prevent infection, while diuretics are prescribed to help reduce excess fluid in the body. Meanwhile, giving calcium and insulin is usually done to prevent the increase in potassium levels in the blood.
However, if the patient experiences acute kidney failure due to taking certain drugs, he is advised to stop using these drugs until the kidney condition returns to normal.
Perform dialysis (dialysis)
The dialysis procedure is only done if the kidney damage is quite severe. Patients who require dialysis usually have symptoms of acute kidney failure such as not urinating at all, pericarditis, or other infections of the heart.
Dialysis is done to remove waste from the body by filtering the blood using a dialysis machine. After the waste is removed, the filtered blood will be circulated back into the body.
Usually, patients with acute kidney failure will receive treatment in the hospital for some time until kidney function returns to normal. With proper care and treatment, patients have a higher chance of complete recovery and avoid complications, such as chronic kidney failure.
Although kidney failure is quite difficult to predict and prevent, you can still do the following things to reduce your risk of developing acute kidney failure:
- Be careful when taking over-the-counter drugs. Make sure you take the medicine according to the method and dosage listed on the package.
- Consult with your doctor about how to maintain kidney health, especially if you have a risk of developing acute kidney failure.
- Live a healthy lifestyle by eating a balanced nutritious diet, limiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages, and exercising regularly.
If you feel the symptoms of acute kidney failure as mentioned above, you should consult a doctor to get the right treatment to avoid possible complications, such as permanent kidney damage and even death.
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