Acute kidney injury
Complications
Complications of acute kidney injury
The most serious complications of acute kidney injury are:
- high levels of potassium in the blood in severe cases, this can lead to muscle weakness, paralysis and heart rhythm problems
- fluid in the lungs (pulmonary oedema )
- acidic blood (metabolic acidosis) which can cause nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and breathlessness
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 30 Nov 2016
Symptoms
In the early stages of AKI, there may not be any symptoms.The only possible warning sign may be that the person isn't producing much urine, although this isn't always the case.
Causes
Most cases of AKI are caused by reduced blood flow to the kidneys, usually in someone who is already unwell with another health condition.
Diagnosis
AKI can be diagnosed after measuring urine output and doing blood tests. Blood levels of creatinine a chemical waste product produced by the muscles will be measured. Healthy kidneys filter creatinine and other waste products from the blood and these are excreted, in the form of urine.
Treatment
Treatment of AKI depends on the underlying cause and extent of illness. In most cases, treating the underlying problem will cure the AKI. GPs may be able to manage mild cases in people who aren't already in hospital.
Prevention
Those at risk of AKI should be monitored with regular blood tests if they become unwell or start new medication. It's also useful to check how much urine you're passing.
Complications
Complications of an acute kidney injury need to be dealt with immediately in a hospital setting under rigorous medical supervision. Some of the complications are high levels of potassium in the blood, fluid in the lungs, etc.
Introduction
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is sudden damage to the kidneys that causes them to not work properly. It can range from minor loss of kidney function to complete kidney failure.
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