Acute kidney injury: top ten tips

Abstract

-Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with increased patient morbidity and mortality, and represents a significant financial burden for the NHS. The National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcomes and Death (NCEPOD)'s report, Adding insult to injury, demonstrated that only 50% of patients who died from AKI received good care and 30% of patients had predictable and avoidable AKI. It is therefore essential to identify patients at risk of AKI early and to treat patients who develop it promptly. This article proposes how this may be achieved by highlighting ten top tips that describe the points along the patient pathway where it is possible to intervene and prevent or treat AKI. The tips emphasise the importance of good basic medical care and the need for engagement with patients, healthcare professionals and hospital processes. The implementation of these tips in hospitals across the UK could potentially improve patient outcomes and reduce associated costs.

Acute kidney injury: global health alert

“…28 This audit illustrates the urgent need for improving awareness of AKI and has prompted the medical community in the UK to implement specific measures to facilitate early recognition, timely diagnosis, and appropriate management and follow-up of AKI patients. 29…”

8th World Kidney Day

“…This audit illustrates the urgent need for improving awareness of AKI and has prompted the medical community in the UK to implement specific measures to facilitate early recognition, timely diagnosis, and appropriate management and follow up of patients with AKI (Prescott et al . ).…”

Acute kidney injury: global health alert

“…A recent national audit of the care provided to patients who died with a diagnosis of AKI in United Kingdom hospitals revealed several shortcomings: AKI was often diagnosed late, the initial severity underestimated, and diagnostic and therapeutic interventions often incomplete or delayed . This audit illustrates the urgent need for improving awareness of AKI and has prompted the medical community in the United Kingdom to implement specific measures to facilitate early recognition, timely diagnosis, and appropriate management and follow up of AKI patients …”