Acute Kidney Injury Can Lead to Permanent Kidney Damage Illustration of kidneys in a translucent body Research supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) suggests that survivors of acute kidney injury leaving site icon (AKI)—a sudden loss of kidney function—have a lifelong increased risk for developing permanent kidney damage, resulting in decreased kidney function. In observance of World Kidney Day on March 14, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) sought to increase awareness of the long-term effects of AKI. Over the past decade in the United States, the rate of AKI requiring dialysis has increased by 10 percent each year, and associated deaths have more than doubled. While rates of AKI are highest among hospitalized patients and people with existing kidney problems, AKI can also occur in people with normally functioning kidneys—usually as a result of illness, injury, or certain medicines. "We now know acute kidney injury is not the isolated or temporary condition we once believed it to be. However, in many cases, it is preventable and treatable," said NIDDK Director Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D., M.A.C.P. "We must continue to support research to help us better understand the connection between acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease, to prevent acute kidney injury in those at risk, and to identify and treat the condition when it does occur."
Posted on: Fri, 26 Jul 2013 20:42:51 +0000
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