Acute Renal Failure—1960

Abstract

Five principles of treatment of acute renal failure are maintenance of body fluids and electrolytes, suppression of protein breakdown, prevention and treatment of infections, elimination of retention products by dialysis, and elimination of edema fluid by ultrafiltration. Any patient with uremia may need treatment with the artificial kidney to help him recover from an acute episode.

After lifesaving procedures have been instituted, the cause of the renal failure must be diagnosed. A defeatist attitude toward treatment or elimination of the cause is not justified so long as there is no histologic proof of incurability. Lack of persistence, too-late referral, and unwarranted conservative management have cost thousands of lives in the past five years.