Overview

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a sudden decrease in kidney function. This can happen over a period of hours, days or, in some cases, weeks. AKI used to be called acute renal failure, but kidney failure doesn't always happen with AKI. Common causes of AKI are serious infection, blood loss, and some medicines.

When AKI happens, the kidneys have trouble removing waste and excess fluids from the body. The waste and fluids build up and become harmful.

Kidney function may return to normal if the cause of AKI is treated quickly. Your chance of a full recovery depends on what caused the problem, how quickly the cause was treated, and what other medical problems you have. You may have a treatment called dialysis. It does the work of healthy kidneys to remove waste and fluids for a short time.

How can you care for yourself at home?

• Talk to your doctor about how much fluid you should drink.
• Eat a balanced diet. Talk to your doctor or a dietitian about what type of diet may be best for you. You may need to limit sodium, potassium, and phosphorus.
• If you need dialysis, follow the instructions and schedule for dialysis that your doctor gives you.
• Do not smoke. Smoking can make your condition worse. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor about stop-smoking programs and medicines. These can increase your chances of quitting for good.
• Limit alcohol.
• Review all of your medicines with your doctor. Do not take any medicines, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve), unless your doctor says it is safe for you to do so.
• Make sure that anyone treating you for any health problem knows that you have had AKI.