Over half of all critically ill patients develop some degree of acute kidney injury (AKI), and nearly 5% require renal replacement therapy (RRT). For those patients with severe AKI requiring RRT, mortality can be as high as 70%, and up…
Iodinated contrast agents, which are administered intravascularly for medical imaging, are widely used pharmaceutical agents: more than 80 million doses were estimated to be administered annually over a decade ago. Although vital for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, their use can…
A patent urinary tract is necessary for optimal kidney function. Under normal circumstances, urine passes unimpeded from the renal pelvises to the tip of the urethra. Obstruction can occur anywhere along this pathway and may lead to both acute and…
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is recognized as one of the most serious complications in critically ill patients. It is strongly associated with higher short- and long-term mortality, increased resource utilization, and a higher risk for the development of chronic kidney…
The goals of fluid administration are to optimize tissue oxygenation by augmenting intravascular volume, improving left ventricular preload, and increasing cardiac output. This chapter reviews the timing and considerations for choice of therapy in volume repletion and the effects of…
Introduction During the last decade, several blood purification techniques have been developed. Blood purification techniques are extracorporeal treatments that can either be combined with renal replacement therapy (RRT) or used as standalone methods. Their common objective is to remove from…
Water is the body’s most abundant component. Without ingesting sufficient fresh water, humans can survive for just a few days. Ingested water, plus water produced endogenously, must be appropriately excreted to maintain homeostasis. In the human body, water has many…
Epidemiology of acute kidney injury in the intensive care unit Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a significant problem in intensive care unit (ICU) patients and carries a high mortality rate and long-term morbidity. AKI is defined according to the Kidney…
Five to fifteen percent of patients in intensive care units (ICUs) experience acute deterioration in renal function. , Renal dysfunction substantially adds to the morbidity and mortality of critically ill patients. Moreover, changes in renal function directly affect drug clearance.…
Introduction The kidney plays a key role in maintaining solute, water, and acid-base homeostasis. Some or all of these roles may be impaired in critically ill patients because of processes that disrupt glomerular, tubular, or interstitial function. This chapter will…