clinical features
Last reviewed 01/2018
Possible clinical features include:
- oliguria or anuria
- uraemia:
- nausea and vomiting
- anorexia
- confusion
- fluid retention:
- peripheral oedema
- increasing breathlessness - pulmonary oedema, pleural effusions
- if the patient is volume depleted then postural hypotension and dehydration may be noted
- frequently non-oliguric acute renal failure is first noticed because of symptoms of electrolyte abnormality
Other clinical features may relate to the cause of the renal failure for example:
- drug hypersensitivity - generalised rash and polyarthropathy
- rhabdomyolysis - muscle pain, for example, heroin abuse
- Goodpasture's syndrome - dyspnoea and haemoptysis
- malignant hypertension or diabetes - retinal changes
- hepatorenal failure - jaundice and stigmata of liver disease