|
( Renal failure)
Renal failure or kidney failure is a situation in which the kidneys fail to function adequately. It is divided in acute and chronic forms; either form may be due to a large number of other medical problems. Biochemically, it is typically detected by an elevated serum creatinine. In the science of physiology, renal failure is described as a decrease in the glomerular filtration rate. When the kidneys malfunction, problems frequently encountered are abnormal fluid levels in the body, deranged acid levels, abnormal levels of potassium, calcium, phosphate, hematuria (blood in the urine) and (in the longer term) anemia. Long-term kidney problems have significant repercussions on other diseases, such as cardiovascular disease. Renal failure can broadly be divided into two categories acute or chronic renal failure. The type of renal failure is determined by the trend in the serum creatinine. Other factors which may help differentiate acute and chronic kidney disease include the presence of anemia and the kidney size on ultrasound. Chronic kidney disease generally leads to anemia and small kidney size. Acute renal failure can be present on top of chronic renal failure. This is called acute-on-chronic renal failure (AoCRF). The acute part of AoCRF may be reversible and the aim of treatment, as with ARF, is to return the patient to their baseline renal function, which is typically measured by serum creatinine. AoCRF, like ARF, can be difficult to distinguish from chronic renal failure, if the patient has not been monitored by a physician and no baseline (i.e., past) blood work is available for comparison.
|
Renal failure Subcategories
Renal failure Articles
Renal Failure In Cats by Omer Ashraf
Chronic renal failure, also known as kidney failure, is one of the most common conditions affecting older cats. In fact one out of every five cats over fifteen years of age suffers from it. The disease is essentially characterized by a gradual decrea...
|
|
