Video - Renal azotemia

Renal azotemia refers to an elevation of nitrogen-containing waste products in blood like urea and creatinine, which are due to renal dysfunction often causing an acute kidney injury (AKI). AKI is said when the kidneys aren't functioning at 100%, and it has developed relatively quickly, typically over a few days.

AKI can be classified into three main types: intrarenal, prerenal, and postrenal AKI. In intrarenal AKI, kidney injury is caused by something within the kidneys themselves. Examples include conditions like acute tubular necrosis, glomerulonephritis, or acute interstitial nephritis. In prerenal AKI, there is reduced blood flow to the kidneys, and this hypoperfusion results in kidney injury. It's commonly seen following dehydration, or shock (e.g. hypovolemic and septic shocks). In postrenal AKI, a blockage in the urinary tract prevents urine from leaving the kidneys, which impairs normal kidney functioning and damages them. Postrenal AKI can be caused by conditions like bladder stones, prostate enlargement in men, or urinary tract tumors.