Classification of Acute Renal Failure

In this step, Prof. Chen illustrates the classification of ARF, including pre-renal azotemia, intrinsic renal failure, and post-renal obstruction.

To begin with, there are plenty of symptoms for pre-renal azotemia, including reduced cardiac output, hypovolemia, and increased renal vascular resistance.

For those patients with intrinsic renal failure, they have renal cell damage, which could occur with prolonged pre-renal azotemia for those who have renal ischemic events.

Besides, patients with renal infection such as glomerulonephritis or tubulointerstitial diseases could have an intrinsic renal failure.

Finally, post-renal ARF can come from bladder obstruction, ureteral obstruction or urethral obstruction. Thus, these issues need to be resolved before the ARF could be treated.