Kidney failure

Kidney failure is a condition in which the kidneys cannot adequately filter waste and excess fluid from the blood or maintain essential bodily balances. It can develop suddenly or progress over time.

Glomerular filtration rate: A measure of how much blood the kidneys filter through their glomeruli per unit of time. A falling filtration rate is a key measure of declining kidney function.
Acute kidney injury: A sudden decline in kidney function, usually developing over hours or days. This is the abrupt form of kidney failure, often with a potentially reversible cause.
Serum creatinine: A blood measurement of creatinine, a waste product cleared mainly by the kidneys. Rising levels can signal impaired filtration and help estimate its severity.
Diabetic nephropathy: Kidney damage caused by diabetes, including injury to the filtering units and blood vessels. Diabetes is a leading cause of chronic kidney disease progressing to failure.
Renal anemia: Anemia associated with kidney disease, often involving inadequate erythropoietin production and iron-related factors. Reduced hormone production and other changes can leave people with kidney failure anemic.
Uremia: A clinical syndrome caused by the buildup of waste products and other disturbances when kidney function is severely impaired. It describes systemic effects that emerge when failing kidneys cannot clear waste.
Chronic kidney disease: A persistent abnormality of kidney structure or function lasting at least three months. This is the long-term disease pathway that can progress to kidney failure.
Urinalysis: Laboratory examination of urine for substances, cells, and other signs of disease. Urine findings can help identify kidney damage and clues to its cause.
Hypertensive nephrosclerosis: Chronic kidney damage associated with long-standing high blood pressure and changes in small blood vessels. Prolonged hypertension can damage renal vessels and gradually reduce filtration.
Chronic kidney disease–mineral and bone disorder: A disorder of mineral and bone metabolism caused by chronic kidney disease. Impaired phosphate, calcium, and vitamin D regulation can weaken bones and affect blood vessels.

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Renal impairmentBroader topic: Failure is a more advanced state than the broader range of renal impairment.