What is the difference between acute renal failure and end-stage renal disease (ESRD)?
In acute renal failure the kidneys fail very quickly. It may be caused by injury, major blood loss, reaction to a medication or a post-surgical procedure. Often acute renal failure will recover, although if the kidneys are very badly damaged, it could be permanent. In ESRD kidney failure is permanent and this kind of failure cannot recover. ESRD is often caused by diabetes or hypertension. Some patients may be born with kidney problems, have reactions to some medications and some injuries can also cause ESRD. How is ESRD different from chronic kidney disease (CKD)? CKD involves permanent damage to the kidneys but they may still work well enough for patients to live, even if they have some damage. Recent research suggests that one in 10 of the population may have CKD, but it is less common in young adults, occurring in one in 50. In those aged over 75, CKD is present in half the population. However, many elderly people with CKD may have normal ageing of their kidneys. If the kidneys con
