There are many causes of kidney failure. Broadly, kidney failure is defined as acute (meaning occurring over a period of days or weeks) or chronic (meaning occurring over a period of months to years).

Acute kidney failure is often but not always reversible. The causes are myriad but the main ones are volume depletion, shock, drug toxicity and obstruction in the urinary tract, for example, due to kidney stones and prostate problems.

Chronic renal failure is often irreversible; Hypertension and Diabetes are the two most important causes and contribute to about 60% of the cases of chronic kidney failure. Diseases such as Glomerulonephritis, a form of inflammation of the kidney, chronic infection and obstruction, drug toxicity and several congenital disorders such as cystic kidney disease are some of the other causes of chronic renal failure. Appropriate management and control of Hypertension and Diabetes are of great importance in reducing the incidence of chronic renal failure.

When renal failure is advanced, i.e. the function reduced to about 10% of normal, then dialysis or renal transplantation has to be performed. Dialysis utilizes a machine to perform the kidneys function of removing toxins and excess fluid from the body.

Khaja R. Ahmed, M.D.
Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine and Nephrology
Specializing in Kidney Disease, Kidney Transplantation, Hypertension, and Internal Medicine
Member, South Bay Independent Physicians Medical Group, Inc.