Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy Generator

AKI Medical Abbreviation

Author: Analgesia logo

Last Updated on March 19, 2025 by Analgesia team

Acute Kidney Injury | The Most Common Cause

AKI is a medical abbreviation for Acute kidney injury, which is a sudden and often reversible decline in kidney function. AKI can range from minor to complete kidney failure. It’s usually a complication of another serious illness and is important to detect and treat early.

AKI is characterized by: A sudden decrease in urine output and An increase in serum creatinine. 

 

Aki Medical Abbreviation

Causes of AKI

The most common cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) is reduced blood flow to the kidneysThis can be due to several conditions, including dehydration, heart disease, or infections. 

Causes of reduced blood flow
    • Dehydration: Loss of too much body fluid, which can be caused by vomiting, diarrhoea, or bleeding 
    • Heart disease: Heart failure, heart attack, or other conditions that reduce blood flow from the heart 
    • Infections: Infections like sepsis or septic shock can reduce blood flow to the kidneys
    • Blood pressure medicines: Severe low blood pressure from some blood pressure medicines can cause kidney injury
    • Allergic reactions: Severe allergic reactions, called anaphylaxis, can cause kidney injury
Other causes of AKI
  • Blockages in the urinary tract, such as kidney stones or an enlarged prostate
  • Medications: Some medicines, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium, can cause kidney injury
  • Autoimmune conditions, such as lupus or glomerulonephritis
  • Cancers, such as bladder, cervical, ovarian, or prostate cancer 

Symptoms of AKI

Acute kidney injury is often difficult to detect because there are rarely any symptoms until kidney function is severely damaged. However, when symptoms do occur, they include

  • nausea and vomiting.
  • dehydration.
  • confusion.
  • reduced urine output (pee) or changes to urine colour.
  • high blood pressure.
  • abdominal pain.
  • slight backache.
  • a build-up of fluid in the body (oedema)

Diagnosis

AKI is diagnosed based on changes in serum creatinine and/or a reduction in urine output. 

Treatment

Acute kidney injury (AKI) treatment depends on the cause and severity of the condition. Treatments include: 

    • FluidsIf you’re dehydrated, you may need to increase your fluid intake, either by mouth or through a drip. 
    • AntibioticsIf you have an infection, you may need antibiotics. 
    • Stop certain medicinesYou may need to stop taking certain medicines, such as ibuprofen, until your kidney function improves. 
    • Urinary catheterIf there’s a blockage, you may need a thin tube to drain your bladder.
    • DialysisIn severe cases, you may need dialysis to filter your blood and remove waste.
    • MedicationsYou may need medicines to control your blood pressure, potassium, and calcium levels.
    • HemodialysisIf wastes build up in your blood, you may need hemodialysis to remove poisons and excess fluids. 

Most people with AKI make a full recovery, but some people go on to develop chronic kidney disease or long-term kidney failure

Complications

Complications of AKI include hyperkalaemia, metabolic acidosis, fluid overload, uraemia, and chronic kidney disease (CKD)
Risk factors for AKI include:
  • Age
  • Diabetes
  • History of AKI or urological obstruction
  • History of chronic kidney disease, heart failure, liver disease, or diabetes 
AKI is different from chronic kidney disease, which is a gradual and irreversible loss of kidney function. 

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top