Everyone Healthy Library
Kidney Failure
Also Known As: Renal Failure
Condition / disease reference page from the Everyone Healthy database.
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Some health conditions or symptoms can become urgent. Use this page for education, but seek help quickly if warning signs are present.
Get urgent medical care now if there is any severe, sudden, rapidly worsening or worrying symptom, especially:
- chest pain, pressure or pain spreading to the arm, jaw or back
- trouble breathing, blue lips, severe wheeze or choking
- stroke-like symptoms such as face drooping, arm weakness or speech trouble
- collapse, fainting, seizure, confusion or extreme drowsiness
- severe bleeding, black stools, vomiting blood or major injury
- severe allergic reaction, swelling of the face/throat or widespread rash with breathing trouble
- severe abdominal pain, severe headache, stiff neck or sudden vision change
- signs of severe dehydration, sepsis, high fever with worsening illness, or symptoms in a baby/young child that concern you
Connected health information
Explore this condition in a clear order
Condition overview
Attributes
Commonalityis common
Linked signs and symptoms
36Each sign/symptom opens its own page and links back to related conditions.
- Ankle Swelling (Ankle Oedema)
- Appetite Loss (Anorexia)
- Blood in Urine (Hematuria)
- Blood Pressure Below Normal (Hypotension)
- Blood: Potassium Elevated (Hyperkalaemia)
- Breath Shortness (Dyspnoea)
- Breathing Rapid Hyperventilation (Tachypnea)
- Bruising Easily
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Heart Rate Irregular (Arrhythmia)
- Involuntary Trembling Or Quivering (Tremor)
- Mind: Agitation
- Mind: Lethargy
- Mind: Poor Concentration
- Mind: Poor Memory Skills
- Movements Slow
- Muscle Cramp
- Muscle Weakness
- Nausea
- Pain Back
- Pain Side (Flank)
- Pale Urine
- Seizures
- Skin Darkening (Hyperpigmentation)
- Skin Itching
- Sleep Persistent Difficulty Falling Asleep
- Sleepiness or Drowsiness (Somnolence)
- Swelling (Oedema, Edema)
- Urination Increase At Night (Nocturia)
- Urine Dark
- Urine Output Decreased (Oliguria)
- Urine: Foamy, Excessive Frothing
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Weight Loss (Body Mass Index Decreased)
Linked drugs / medications
1Medication information is educational only. A doctor or pharmacist should advise whether any medicine is appropriate.
Treatments, therapies and supportive options
23Grouped by treatment type. These are educational database links, not personal treatment recommendations. Evidence labels are shown only where stored in the EH database.
Surgery
2Medical therapy
7- Arterio-Venous FistulaWeakly in Favour(Low Evidence)
- Catheter DrainageWeakly in Favour(Low Evidence)
- DialysisWeakly in Favour(Low Evidence)
- Fluid input and output monitoringWeakly in Favour(Low Evidence)
- Renal TransplantationWeakly in Favour(Low Evidence)
- SEEK IMMEDIATE PROFESSIONAL HELPStrongly in Favour(Moderate Evidence)
- Urinary CatheterWeakly in Favour(Low Evidence)
Lifestyle changes
3Alternative and complementary therapies
1Alternative medicine
2Amino acids
2Medical emergencies
1Linked diagnostic tests and investigations
44These are pulled from both EH diagnostic-test link tables, including the older large test-link table.
- Acid Phosphatase Concentration
- Ammonia Concentration Test
- amylase concentration
- Anion Gap
- Apolipoprotein A Concentration
- Apolipoprotein B Concentration
- Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Concentration
- Bleeding Time (Ivy Method)
- C-Peptide Concentration Test
- Calcium Concentration (Blood, Total)
- Chloride Concentration (Blood)
- Creatinine Clearance (CrCl)
- Creatinine Concentration (Blood, Serum Creatinine)
- Erythropoietin (Ep) Concentration
- Fibrin Degradation Products (FDPs, Fibrin Split Products, FSPs, Fibrin Breakdown Products, Fbps)
- Gastrin Concentration
- High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Concentration
- Lactic Acid Concentration
- lipase concentration
- Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Concentration
- Lymphocytes Count
- Magnesium Concentration (Mg, Blood)
- Phosphate Concentration (PO4, Phosphorus)
- Protein Electrophoresis (Blood, Serum Protein)
- Protein S Concentration
- Red Blood Cell (RBC) Count
- Sodium Concentration (Na, Blood)
- Sweat Testing
- Triglyceride (TGs) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine (Free T3) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine (Total T3) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine Uptake Test
- Urine Albumin 24hr test
- Urine Amino Acid Concentration
- Urine Chloride Concentration
- Urine Crystal Concentration
- Urine Estriol (E3) Concentration
- Urine Fatty Cast Concentration
- Urine Granular Cast Concentration
- Urine Hyaline Cast Concentration
- Urine Osmolality
- Urine Oxalate Concentration (24 Hour)
- Urine pH Test
- Urine Red Blood Cells Concentration
Biological markers/agents
70This visual map shows biological markers/agents reported as increased or decreased with this condition. These are educational relationships only; test results must be interpreted by a qualified clinician because ranges vary by lab, method, age, sex and clinical context.
Often increased
55- 1 Methylhistidine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 450–3,200 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 700–8,500 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- 3 Methylhistidine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 420–1,400 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 650–3,300 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Acid PhosphataseReference range exampleChild (0 - 16y), Male: 8.7–12.5 units/L; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 2.2–10.4 units/LLinked diagnostic testsAcid Phosphatase Concentration
- Alanine (Urine)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 1,500–7,000 µmol/L; Child (< 10y): 600–2,000 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Alpha Amino N Buryric Acid (Urine)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–350 µmol/L; Child (< 10y): 80–300 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Alpha Aminoadipic Acid (Urine)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–1,700 µmol/L; Child (< 10y): 240–800 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Alpha-2-Globulin (Blood, Serum)Reference range exampleAll: 0.6–1 gm/dLLinked diagnostic testsProtein Electrophoresis (Blood, Serum Protein)
- AmmoniaReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 6–48 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsAmmonia Concentration Test
- AmylaseReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 25–125 units/LLinked diagnostic testsamylase concentration
- Anion Gap (Excluding Potassium)Reference range exampleAll: 12–20 mEq/L; All: 8–16 mEq/LLinked diagnostic testsAnion Gap
- Anion Gap (Including Potassium)Reference range exampleAll: 12–20 mEq/LLinked diagnostic testsAnion Gap
- Apolipoprotein B (Apo B)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 47–115 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 52–120 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsApolipoprotein B Concentration
- Arginine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 120–260 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 140–650 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Asparagine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 160–420 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 350–1,000 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- C-PeptideReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0.5–2.7 ng/mLLinked diagnostic testsC-Peptide Concentration Test
- Calcium Oxalate Crystals (Urine)Reference range exampleAll: 0–1 Not PresentLinked diagnostic testsUrine Crystal Concentration
- Chloride (Blood, Cl)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 97–106 mEq/L; Birth - 2wks: 94–106 mEq/LLinked diagnostic testsChloride Concentration (Blood)
- Chloride (Sweat, Cl)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 0–50 mEq/LLinked diagnostic testsSweat Testing
- Citrulline (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 0–140 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 0–100 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Creatinine (Blood)Reference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 0.1–0.4 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Female: 0.6–1.2 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsCreatinine Concentration (Blood, Serum Creatinine)
- Fibrin Split ProductsReference range exampleAll: 0–1 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsFibrin Degradation Products (FDPs, Fibrin Split Products
- Forced Expiratory Volume At Three Seconds (FEV3)Reference range exampleAll: 95–100 %Linked diagnostic testsSpirometry
- GastrinReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–120 pg/mLLinked diagnostic testsGastrin Concentration
- Glutamic Acid (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 135–240 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 300–1,100 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Glycine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 2,000–8,500 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 8,000–25,000 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Histidine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 500–7,300 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 5,000–16,000 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Lactic Acid (Venous Blood)Reference range exampleAll: 0.5–2.2 mEq/LLinked diagnostic testsLactic Acid Concentration
- LipaseReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 10–140 units/LLinked diagnostic testslipase concentration
- Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–125 mg/dL; 6y - 16y: 0–100 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsLow Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Concentration
- Lysine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 200–1,500 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 300–3,000 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Magnesium (Mg, Blood)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 1.3–2.6 mEq/L; Birth - 2wks: 1.4–2.2 mEq/LLinked diagnostic testsMagnesium Concentration (Mg, Blood)
- Methionine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 70–220 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 55–320 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Ornithine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 40–165 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 50–800 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Phenylalanine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 200–600 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 400–1,000 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Phosphate (PO4, Phosphorus, P)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 2.5–4.5 mg/dL; Birth - 2wks: 4.3–9.2 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsPhosphate Concentration (PO4, Phosphorus)
- Phosphoethanolamine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 250–670 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 200–1,000 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Phosphoserine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 150–350 µmol/L; Child (0 - 16y): 1,000–2,200 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Proline (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 0–1 Not PresentLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Serine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 1,000–2,200 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 2,000–7,000 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Sodium (Na, Sweat)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 70–90 mEq/LLinked diagnostic testsSweat Testing
- Taurine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 600–9,800 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 2,700–13,000 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Template Bleeding TimeReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 2.5–9 MinutesLinked diagnostic testsBleeding Time (Ivy Method)
- Threonine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 250–1,000 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 900–3,500 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- TriglyceridesReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 32–137 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 35–155 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsTriglyceride (TG's) Concentration, Triglyceride (TGs) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine Uptake PercentageReference range exampleAll: 25–38 %Linked diagnostic testsTriiodothyronine Uptake Test
- Tyrosine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 300–850 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 400–1,500 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
- Unrine Granular CastsReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–0 Not PresentLinked diagnostic testsUrine Granular Cast Concentration
- UrineReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 4.5–7.5; Child (0 - 16y): 500–1,400 mLLinked diagnostic testsUrine Colour, Urine Creatinine Concentration
- Urine AlbuminReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 30–105 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 10–145 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsUrine Albumin 24hr test
- Urine Estriol (E3)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 0–60 µg/24hrs; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 1–11 µg/24hrsLinked diagnostic testsUrine Estriol (E3) Concentration
- Urine Fatty CastReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–0 PresentLinked diagnostic testsUrine Fatty Cast Concentration
- Urine Hyaline CastsReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–2 /lpfLinked diagnostic testsUrine Hyaline Cast Concentration
- Urine OsmolalityReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 250–950 mOsm/kgLinked diagnostic testsUrine Osmolality
- Urine Red Blood CellsReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 0–2 /hpfLinked diagnostic testsUrine Red Blood Cells Concentration
- Valine (Urine)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 200–400 µmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 200–750 µmol/LLinked diagnostic testsUrine Amino Acid Concentration
Often decreased
15- Albumin (Blood)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 37–52 gm/dL; Infant (0 - 1y): 4.4–5.4 gm/dLLinked diagnostic testsBlood Albumin Concentration, Protein Electrophoresis (Blood
- Apolipoprotein A (Apo A)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 85–170 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 77–155 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsApolipoprotein A Concentration
- Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 10–25 units/L; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 10–35 units/LLinked diagnostic testsAspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Concentration
- Calcium (Blood, Total)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 8.5–10.4 mg/dL; Birth - 2wks: 7.6–10.3 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsCalcium Concentration (Blood, Total)
- Creatinine Clearance RateReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 87–110 ml/minute; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 100–140 ml/minuteLinked diagnostic testsCreatinine Clearance (CrCl)
- Erythropoietin (Ep)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 6–36 units/LLinked diagnostic testsErythropoietin (Ep) Concentration
- High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 53–500 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 45–500 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsHigh Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Concentration
- LymphocytesReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 25–40 %; 700–3,500 cells/mm3Linked diagnostic testsDifferential White Blood Cell Count Tests, Lymphocytes Count
- Protein SReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 50–120 %; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 55–120 %Linked diagnostic testsProtein S Concentration
- Red Blood Cells (RBC)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 3.6–5 106/mm3; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 4.2–5.4 106/mm3Linked diagnostic testsRed Blood Cell (RBC) Count
- Sodium (Na, Blood)Reference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 134–150 mEq/L; Child (0 - 16y): 136–145 mEq/LLinked diagnostic testsSodium Concentration (Na, Blood)
- Triiodothyronine (Free T3)Reference range example2.7–4.9 pg/mLLinked diagnostic testsTriiodothyronine (Free T3) Concentration
- Triiodothyronine (Total T3)Reference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 1.1–2.43 ng/mL; Adult ( > 16y): 1–2.1 ng/mLLinked diagnostic testsTriiodothyronine (Total T3) Concentration
- Urine ChlorideReference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 2–10 mmol/day; Child (0 - 16y): 15–14 mmol/dayLinked diagnostic testsUrine Chloride Concentration
- Urine OxalateReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 5–30 mg/24hrs; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 7–43 mg/24hrsLinked diagnostic testsUrine Oxalate Concentration (24 Hour)
Introduction / full article
Kidney Failure
Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:
St John's Wort (Goatweed, tipton weed, Hypericum Perforatum) [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12]:
Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.
Recommendation: No recommendation (Available evidence does not support claims that St Johns Wort can help to treat kidney disease)
Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence
* www.gradeworkinggroup.org
Summary References
Treatments:
1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009
2. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/st-johns-wort
3. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-stjohnswort.html
4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18843608
5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11939866
6. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/ataglance.htm
7. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/sjw-and-depression.htm
8. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/how-is-depression-detected-and-treated.shtml
9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11939872
10. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12132963
11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16423519
12. http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/299/22/2633