Abstract
Acute and chronic renal failure are rather historical terms, which have been replaced by the precisely defined terms "acute kidney injury" and "chronic kidney disease". Acute kidney injury is generally defined as a sudden deterioration in renal function due to a decrease in glomerular filtration and is diagnosed based on accumulation of nitrogen metabolism end products, decreased urine output, or both.
Chronic kidney disease lasts at least 3 months, with damage being defined either by the presence of structural changes, a pathological urinary finding or a significant reduction in glomerular filtration. If the last criterion is used, no further signs of kidney damage are required for diagnosis.
In some cases, it is unclear whether acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease are present. In such cases, medical history, searching for stigmata of organ damage and the development over time are important for a correct diagnosis.
The aim of this paper is to give a brief overview of acute kidney damage, diagnostic options and therapeutic modalities.