Acute Kidney Injury

Acute Kidney Injury (or acute renal failure) refers to kidney damage that happens suddenly. This can occur in the hospital or in the outpatient setting.

Causes

Acute Kidney Injury can be caused by medications, other illnesses, dehydration, congestive heart failure, muscle breakdown due to aggressive exercise, radiology procedures that use intravenous contrast, or other specific kidney diseases.

Symptoms

Symptoms for Acute Kidney Injury can range from none to symptoms of total kidney failure depending on the severity of the injury.

Treatments

This type of injury requires prompt evaluation by one of our nephrologists so we can stop the offending agent and try to reverse the damage as soon as possible. We provide services via emergency appointments at our many offices or, if the patient is in the hospital, with same day service in the hospital.

We will work closely with primary care physicians and other medical specialists to create a comprehensive approach to solving and curing the acute kidney injury.

Often times the treatment is as simple as stopping a medication. Other times it involves providing rehydration with IV fluids. And, sometimes, it requires more aggressive treatment.