Palliative Care for Patients with Acute Renal Failure

When the condition of patients suffering from acute renal failure worsens in spite of aggressive curative treatment, the treatment regimen can be shifted to palliative care. Essentially, this involves a kind of care that recognizes that the patient’s illness is apparently incurable and may likely worsen over time.

With this perspective, palliative care focuses its therapy on improving the quality of life, not just of the patient’s body, but also of his mind and spirit. Palliative care can help the patient in managing the symptoms of the disease or coping with the side effects of treatment regimens. Equally important, it can also help patients cope with their sentiments about the prospects of life with a long-term sickness, assist them in making plans about their long-term medical care, or help their families better understand their medical condition, enabling them to support their patient’s better.

Because of this approach, many individuals have opted for a combination of palliative care and curative care in treating acute renal failure.

General Treatment of Renal or Kidney Failure

Acute renal failure can be reversed if the appropriate treatment is applied promptly. It is crucial to begin aggressive treatment at the earliest indication that there is renal dysfunction. Generally, the goals of the treatment regimen would be, a) to correct the cause of renal failure, b) to support or prop up the kidneys until they are fully or sufficiently healed and can function properly, and c) to treat or prevent complications arising from acute renal failure.

Treatment for renal failure can vary widely and may involve the following:

• Replacement of lost fluids (including blood, plasma and water) and restoration of the flow of blood to the kidneys.
• Discontinuation of any medications, which may be causing, or contributing to, the problem.
• Treating any other kidney problems.
• Using medication to treat any autoimmune disorders.
• Removing or bypassing any blockages in the urinary tract.

Supporting the kidneys in acute renal failure cases can be complicated since most patients who develop it are already in the hospital for other serious medical problems. Or, they may already be critically ill. At nay rate, this regimen would include a close and strict management of fluid intake, nutrition and medications.

Early Prevention of Acute Renal Failure

People with certain medical conditions or diseases, especially those in advanced age, are more likely to be afflicted with acute renal failure. Some of the conditions that have a good chance of increasing one’s risk include: liver disease, diabetes, an existing kidney disease, heart failure, high blood pressure and obesity. Moreover, people who have serious illnesses, even those already confine in hospitals or intensive care units, are prone to suffer acute renal failure.

Kidney failure may be prevented in such high-risk cases by simple avoidance of medications and procedures that may affect the kidneys or other renal functions.

For hospitalized high-risk patients, doctors and medical practitioners may observe the following precautions:

• Careful and meticulous monitoring of fluid balances. This involves regular measurement if intake and output, daily measurement of body weight and frequent checking of blood pressure.
• Close monitoring of electrolytes through frequent blood tests.
• Rigorous supervision of diet.
• Careful checking of medicines, including dosage and administration.

It is truly essential to mind these ounces of prevention because no ton of cure can truly replace lost kidneys

Lowering the Risk of Acute Renal failure

Being alert to the following symptoms may allow early detection of acute renal failure:

1.      There is very little or no urine during urination.

2.      There is swelling in the lower extremities, particularly in the legs, ankle and feet.

3.      There is acute loss of appetite.

4.      There is a sensation of nausea and vomiting.

5.      There is a feeling of being confused or frequent sleepiness (or drowsiness) or occasional anxiety attacks or general restlessness. 

6.      There is “flank pain” or a back pain in the area just beneath the rib cage.

Some of these conditions may also be present in patients with different afflictions other than acute renal failure. Notwithstanding, should these symptoms occur, it is very important to immediately seek expert medical attention in order to diagnose the ailment and apply early treatment. Early detection and treatment of acute renal failure can even restore damaged organs and normalize renal functions.

Generally, people suffering from liver disease, heart failure, diabetes, high blood pressure, an existing kidney disease, obesity and any other serious illness is at high risk to suffer acute renal failure. As such, they must at once seek proper medical advice on prevention of renal failure