Renal conditions (FCM)

Question 1

What is acute and chronic kidney injury?

Answer 1

Acute:
It can have many causes. It is an acute drop in kidney excretory function over hours/ days

Chronic:
Reduction in kidney function or structural damage (or both) present for >3 months.

Question 2

Causes of Acute kidney injury?

Answer 2

Pre renal causes: (most common)

• Lack of perfusion to the kidneys causing a decreased GFR
  (e. g Dehydration, hypotension, HF)
• Usually reversible with proper treatment

Intrinsic renal causes:

• Structural kidney damage (problem within the kidney)
  (e. g glomerulonephritis, tubular disease, toxicity)

Post renal causes:

• Obstruction of the outflow of urine – this obstruction causes a back flow of pressure into the kidney which reduces its function
  (e. g Renal stones, blocked catheter, BPH, Malignancy)