Acute renal failure can occur suddenly. It is the result of an acute, but mainly reversible process of damage to the kidney tissue. The disease is characterized by a sharp decrease in the volume of urine secreted to its absolute absence.
Acute renal failure in some cases can be caused by an arenal condition (trauma or removal of a single kidney). Infectious diseases (hemorrhagic fever and leptospirosis), exogenous intoxications (a number of drugs, bites of poisonous insects or snakes, poisons used in everyday life or the national economy) also provoke the disease. The causes of the development of the disease also include impaired renal hemodynamics (collapse, shock, etc.), acute renal disease (acute pyelonephritis and glomerulonephritis).
The disease is accompanied by a pronounced worsening of the patient's condition with the manifestation of vomiting, nausea, and a decrease in appetite.
Acute renal failure. Symptoms
The expressed manifestations of the disease include a decrease in volume (oliguria) or an absolute absence of excretion (anuria) of urine. Examination of the patient reveals swelling of the limbs. Also, acute renal failure provokes an increase in liver volume. The patient has a manifestation of inhibition or, conversely, agitation.
The clinical development of the disease is divided into several stages
In the first stage (initial), acute renal failure is accompanied by symptoms due to the direct impact of the cause of the disease. This stage can last several hours or days. The initial stage of the disease begins from the moment of the causative effect and continues until the first manifestations of the kidneys. During it, intoxication may occur (abdominal pain, nausea, pallor).
The second stage of the disease is called oligoanuric. The main sign of its manifestation is absolute anuria or oliguria. In this case, the general condition of the patient is assessed as severe, the formation and active accumulation of urea in the blood, as well as other end products formed as a result of metabolism, are observed. This provokes self-poisoning of the body and manifests itself in the form of drowsiness, lethargy, adynamia, diarrhea. Arterial hypertension, swelling of the body, tachycardia, anemia are also observed. It should also be noted the presence of one of the characteristic signs, which manifests itself in the form of increasing azotemia. This condition is characterized by an increase in blood levels of protein (nitrogenous) metabolic products and severe intoxication.
Specialists classify the third stage as restorative. In the phase of early diuresis, the clinical manifestations are identical to the manifestations of the second stage. In the phase of polyuria (increased formation of urine) and the recovery stage of the concentration of renal ability, normalization of the functions of the kidneys, restoration of the functions of the cardiovascular system, digestive and respiratory systems, central nervous system, and musculoskeletal system are observed. The third stage lasts for about two weeks.
The fourth stage of recovery is characterized by anatomical and functional restoration of kidney activity to the initial parameters. This period can last for many months, in some cases it drags on for a year.
Acute renal failure in children
This condition is classified as one of the most severe. A sharp decrease in renal function involves the use of replacement therapy. The condition is accompanied by pathological changes in most systems and organs. In this case, the diagnosis of the disease involves an extensive examination.