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Signs and symptoms of acute kidney failure may include:

• Decreased urine output, although occasionally urine output remains normal
• Fluid retention, causing swelling in your legs, ankles or feet
• Drowsiness
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Seizures or coma in severe cases
• Chest pain or pressure

Sometimes acute kidney failure causes no signs or symptoms and is detected through laboratory tests done for another reason.

When to see a doctor
Make an appointment with your doctor if you have any signs or symptoms that worry you.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Acute kidney failure occurs when your kidneys suddenly become unable to filter wastes from your blood. Acute kidney failure can occur when something damages your kidneys, or it can occur when another condition slows blood flow to your kidneys. Acute kidney failure can also occur when the wastes filtered by your kidneys aren't able to leave your body through your urine.

Diseases and conditions that slow blood flow to the kidneys
Diseases and conditions that may slow blood flow to the kidneys and can lead to kidney failure include:

• Blood loss
• Blood pressure medications
• Heart attack
• Heart disease
• Infection
• Liver cirrhosis
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen
• Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
• Severe burns
• Severe dehydration

Diseases and conditions that may damage the kidneys
These diseases, conditions and agents may damage the kidneys and lead to acute kidney failure:

• Blood clots in the veins and arteries in and around the kidneys
• Cholesterol deposits that block blood flow in the kidneys
• Glomerulonephritis
• Hemolytic uremic syndrome
• Infection
• Lupus
• Medications, such as certain chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics, dyes used during imaging tests and zoledronic acid (Reclast, Zometa), used to treat osteoporosis and elevated blood calcium levels (hypercalcemia)
• Multiple myeloma
• Scleroderma
• Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
• Toxins, such as alcohol, heavy metals and cocaine
• Vasculitis

Diseases and conditions that block urine from leaving the body
Diseases and conditions that block the passage of urine out of the body (urinary obstructions) and can lead to acute kidney failure include:

• Bladder cancer
• Blood clots in the urinary tract
• Cervical cancer
• Colon cancer
• Enlarged prostate
• Kidney stones
• Nerve damage involving the nerves that control the bladder
• Prostate cancer

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
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Acute kidney failure almost always occurs in connection with another medical condition or event. Conditions that can increase your risk of acute kidney failure include:

• Being hospitalized, especially for a serious condition that requires intensive care
• Advanced age
• Blockages in the blood vessels in your arms or legs (peripheral artery disease)
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart failure
• Kidney diseases
• Liver disease
• Taking zoledronic acid (Reclast, Zometa), by people with moderate to severe kidney impairment

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Potential complications of acute kidney failure include:

• Permanent kidney damage. Occasionally, acute kidney failure causes permanent loss of kidney function, or end-stage renal disease. People with end-stage renal disease require either permanent dialysis — a mechanical filtration process used to remove toxins and waste from your body — or a kidney transplant to survive.
• Death. Acute kidney failure can lead to loss of kidney function and, ultimately, death. The risk of death is highest in people who had kidney problems before experiencing acute kidney failure.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Most people are already hospitalized when they develop acute kidney failure. If you or a loved one develops signs and symptoms that worry you, bring up your concerns with the doctor or nurse who is overseeing care.

If you aren't in the hospital, but have signs or symptoms that worry you, make an appointment with your family doctor or a general practitioner. If your doctor suspects you may have kidney problems, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in kidney disease (nephrologist).

Before your meeting with the doctor, write down any questions. Questions to consider asking may include:

• Are my kidneys working properly?
• Do I have kidney failure?
• What's causing my kidney problems?
• What kinds of tests do I need?
• Will my kidneys recover?
• What are my treatment options?
• What are the potential risks of each treatment option?
• Do I need dialysis?
• Do I need to go to the hospital?
• How long will I need to stay in the hospital?
• I have these other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
• Are there any restrictions that I need to follow?
• Do I need to eat a special diet?
• Can you refer me to a dietitian to help me plan my diet?
• Should I see a specialist? What will that cost, and will my insurance cover it?
• Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing me?
• Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What websites do you recommend?

In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment anytime you don't understand something.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

If your signs and symptoms suggest you may have acute kidney failure, your doctor may recommend tests and procedures to verify your diagnosis. Tests and procedures may include:

• Urine output measurements. The amount of urine you excrete in one day may help your doctor determine the cause of your kidney failure.
• Urine tests. Analyzing a sample of your urine, a procedure called urinalysis, may reveal abnormalities that suggest kidney failure.
• Blood tests. A sample of your blood may reveal rapidly rising levels of urea and creatinine — two substances used to measure kidney function.
• Imaging tests. Imaging tests such as ultrasound and computerized tomography (CT) may be used to help your doctor see your kidneys.
• Removing a sample of kidney tissue for testing. In certain situations, your doctor may recommend a kidney biopsy to remove a small sample of kidney tissue for laboratory testing. To remove a sample of kidney tissue, your doctor may insert a thin needle through your skin and into your kidney.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Treatment for acute kidney failure typically requires a hospital stay. Most people with acute kidney failure are already hospitalized. How long you'll stay in the hospital depends on the reason for your acute kidney failure and how quickly your kidneys recover.

Treating the underlying cause of your kidney failure
Treatment for acute kidney failure involves identifying the illness or injury that originally damaged your kidneys. Your treatment options will depend on what's causing your kidney failure.

Treating complications until your kidneys recover
Your doctor will also work to prevent complications and allow your kidneys time to heal. Treatments that help prevent complications include:

• Treatments to balance the amount of fluids in your blood. Acute kidney failure is sometimes caused by a lack of fluids in your blood. In this case, your doctor may recommend intravenous fluids. In other cases, acute kidney failure may cause you to have too much body fluid, leading to swelling in your arms and legs. In these cases, your doctor may recommend medications (diuretics) to cause your body to expel extra fluids.
• Medications to control blood potassium. If your kidneys aren't properly filtering potassium from your blood, your doctor may prescribe calcium, glucose or sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate) to prevent the accumulation of high levels of potassium in your blood. Too much potassium in the blood can cause dangerous irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias).
• Medications to restore blood calcium levels. If the levels of calcium in your blood drop too low, your doctor may recommend an infusion of calcium.
• Dialysis to remove toxins from your blood. If toxins build up in your blood, you may need to undergo temporary hemodialysis — often referred to simply as dialysis — to help remove toxins and excess fluids from your body while your kidneys heal. Dialysis may also help remove excess potassium from your body. During dialysis, a machine pumps blood out of your body through an artificial kidney (dialyzer) that filters out waste. The blood is then returned to your body.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

During your recovery from acute kidney failure, your doctor may recommend a special diet to help support your kidneys and limit the work they must do. Your doctor may refer you to a dietitian who can analyze your current diet and suggest ways to make your diet easier on your kidneys.

Depending on your situation, your dietitian may recommend that you:

• Choose lower potassium foods. Your dietitian may recommend that you choose lower potassium foods at each meal. High-potassium foods include bananas, oranges, potatoes, spinach and tomatoes. Low-potassium foods include apples, cabbage, carrots, green beans, grapes and strawberries.
• Avoid products with added salt. Lower the amount of sodium you eat each day by avoiding products with added salt, including many convenience foods, such as frozen dinners, canned soups and fast foods. Other foods with added salt include salty snack foods, canned vegetables, and processed meats and cheeses.

As your kidneys recover, you may no longer need to eat a special diet.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Acute kidney failure is often impossible to predict or prevent. But you may reduce your risk by taking care of your kidneys. Try to:

• Follow instructions on over-the-counter medications. Follow the instructions on OTC pain medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others). Taking doses that are too high may increase your risk of acute kidney failure.
• Work with your doctor to manage kidney problems. If you have kidney disease or other diseases or conditions that increase your risk of acute kidney failure, follow your doctor's recommendations for managing your chronic conditions.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.