Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) or Acute Renal Failure (ARF)
The kidneys are a pair of fist size organs in the body whose role is to filter out waste, excess fluids, and excess salt and minerals from the bloodstream. The waste is removed in the form of urine.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a sudden inability of the kidneys to perform their function. This can result in a dangerous buildup of excess fluids, salts, and waste in the body. Unlike CKD the condition can develop quickly over the course of a few hours or days. AKI typically occurs due to an injury, illness or as a side effect of certain medications. AKI can occur in a person with normal kidneys or in someone who already has chronic kidney disease. Often, treating the cause of AKI will allow the kidneys to resume their previous function over time.