Features of Acute Renal Failure in the Elderly

Regarding the causation, the Acute Renal Failure in the elderly can be prerenal, renal and postrenal. Compared with adults, the causation proportion of the old is different. When people get old, the physiological sense of thirst will decline. Meanwhile, concentration function of kidney also declines and ability of maintaining sodium is poor. Although the body is short of water, there still is urine being discharged. So, once seniors present diarrhea, vomit, nausea, excessive urine, the prerenal acute renal failure is likely to occur. 

In addition, the heart failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, shock etc are also the main risk factors of causing prerenal acute renal failure of seniors. Prerenal acute renal failure accounts for about 40%-60% of Renal Failure in the elderly.

For seniors, because the high occurrence of prostate enlargement, urinary system stones and tumor, they also are easy to get postrenal acute renal failure which accounts for about 8%-38%.

For seniors, the renal-induced acute renal failure caused by glomerilar disease is gradually decreasing and the one caused by the sclerosis of renal tubules led by renal ischemia or nephrotoxic medicines and food poisoning are increasing. If the various prerenal factors are not corrected timely, it may develop into renal ischemia acute renal failure.

The treatment of acute renal failure of the seniors is familiar with that of adults. But there are more complications for seniors and the illness condition is usually more serious, so the treatment should be timely and comprehensive. The key points should be to maintain water, electrolyte and acid-base balance, control infection and positively prevent the complications.

The standard to receive dialysis for seniors is broader than that of adult. If the anuresis or oliguresis has existed more than two days and there are obvious uremic symptoms, the dialysis should be considered.

So the seniors who have Acute Renal Failure should be more careful in daily life. I hope the above information can help you, and if you have any other questions, you can consult us online or send email to khkpcn@hotmail.com.