Causes of Acute Renal Failure

Acute Renal Failure is characterized by a sudden decrease of glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which can consequently cause an increase in blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. Generally speaking, the prognosis of Acute Renal Failure is favorable. However, in some cases, Acute Renal Failure may progress into Chronic Renal Failure. Therefore, it is very important to prevent Acute Renal Failure. The following article will introduce the causes of Acute Renal Failure. According to the location of the renal insult, Acute Renal Failure is classified as prerenal, parenchymatous or postrenal.

1. Prerenal

Prerenal Acute Renal Failure is attributed to insufficient renal blood supply and blood circulation problem etc. The common causes are as follows:

* Blood volume decrease: Massive haemorrhage due to various causes, body fluid loss from gastrointestinal tract, seepage caused by burn and trauma, circulation failure and or shock resulted by septemia.

* Cardiac shock: Severe cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia and shock.

* Hypotensive shock due to druganasthesia and spinal cord damage.

2. Parenchymatous

* Acute renaltubular necrosis

* Secondary glomerulonephritis caused by connective tissues disease
* Renal vascular disease: Obstructions of renal arteries and renal small arteries, renal cortical necrosis, thrombotic infarct etc.

* Interstitial and tubular lesion: Allergic acute interstitial nephritis and acute interstitial nephritis.

* Renal papillary necrosis: Diabetes, obstruction of urinary tract etc.

* Kidney intoxication: Heavy metal poisoning, medicine poisoning, heroin and other biological products cause kidney intoxication.

3.Postrenal

Prostatic hyperplasia, stones in urinary tract, tumor are common postrenal causes in Acute Renal Failure.


Once you are diagnosed with Acute Renal Failure, you should receive proper treatment as soon as possible to avoid it developing into Chronic Renal Failure.