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Cause
Underlying Problem
Insufficient blood supply to the kidneys
Blood loss
Loss of large amounts of sodium and fluid
Physical injury that blocks blood vessels
Inadequate pumping of the heart (heart failure)
Extremely low blood pressure Low Blood Pressure and Shock (shock)
Liver failure Liver Failure Liver failure is severe deterioration in liver function. Liver failure is caused by a disorder or substance that damages the liver. Most people have jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), feel tired... read more (hepatorenal syndrome)
Medications that decrease blood flow to the kidneys
Injury to the kidneys
Blood supply to the kidneys decreased long enough to damage the kidneys
Toxic substances (for example, medications, iodinated contrast agents used in imaging tests, and poisons)
Rhabdomyolysis Rhabdomyolysis Rhabdomyolysis occurs when muscle fibers damaged by disease, injury, or toxic substances break down and release their contents into the bloodstream. Severe disease can cause acute kidney injury... read more (toxic effect to the kidneys caused by excessive muscle breakdown)
Allergic reactions (for example, to certain antibiotics)
Disorders affecting the filtering units (nephrons) of the kidneys (for example, acute glomerulonephritis Glomerulonephritis Glomerulonephritis is a disorder of glomeruli (clusters of microscopic blood vessels in the kidneys with small pores through which blood is filtered). It is characterized by body tissue swelling... read more , tubulointerstitial nephritis Tubulointerstitial Nephritis Tubulointerstitial nephritis is inflammation that affects the tubules of the kidneys and the tissues that surround them (interstitial tissue). This disorder may be caused by diseases, medications... read more , tumors damaging the kidneys, or injury to blood vessels as occurs with hemolytic-uremic syndrome Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome (HUS) Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) is a serious disorder that usually occurs in children and involves the formation of small blood clots throughout the body that block the flow of blood to vital... read more , systemic lupus erythematosus [lupus] Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory connective tissue disorder that can involve joints, kidneys, skin, mucous membranes, and blood vessel walls. Problems in the... read more , atheroembolic kidney disease Atheroembolic Kidney Disease In atheroembolic kidney disease, numerous small pieces of fatty material (atheroemboli) travel from arteries above the kidneys to clog the smallest branches of the renal arteries, causing the... read more , Goodpasture syndrome Goodpasture Syndrome Goodpasture syndrome is an uncommon autoimmune disorder in which bleeding into the lungs and progressive kidney failure occur. People usually have difficulty breathing and may cough up blood... read more , granulomatosis with polyangiitis Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis Granulomatosis with polyangiitis often begins with inflammation of small- and medium-sized blood vessels and tissues in the nose, sinuses, throat, lungs, or kidneys. The cause is unknown. The... read more , or microscopic polyangiitis Microscopic Polyangiitis Microscopic polyangiitis is inflammation of mainly small blood vessels throughout the body. Symptoms vary depending on which organs are affected. People have a fever, lose weight, and have achy... read more )
Serious bodywide infection ( sepsis Sepsis and Septic Shock Sepsis is a serious bodywide response to bacteremia or another infection plus malfunction or failure of an essential system in the body. Septic shock is life-threatening low blood pressure ... read more )
Obstructed urine flow
Blockage (obstruction) of the bladder (for example, by an enlarged prostate Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a noncancerous (benign) enlargement of the prostate gland that can make urination difficult. The prostate gland enlarges as men age. Men may have difficulty... read more , narrowing of the urethra Urethra Defects The urethra is the tube that drains urine from the bladder out of the body. (See also Overview of Kidney and Urinary Tract Birth Defects.) There are several types of birth defects of the urethra... read more , or bladder cancer Bladder Cancer Most bladder cancers arise from the cells that form the innermost layer of the bladder. These cells, called transitional cells or urothelial cells, allow the bladder to stretch when it is full... read more )
Tumor pressing on the urinary tract
Stones in the ureters or bladder Stones in the Urinary Tract Stones (calculi) are hard masses that form in the urinary tract and may cause pain, bleeding, or an infection or block of the flow of urine. Tiny stones may cause no symptoms, but larger stones... read more
Obstruction within the kidneys (for example, by crystals or stones such as oxalate or uric acid)
