A number of serious conditions or diseases can cause the kidneys to stop working properly. You may develop acute renal failure if:¹

• You have lost a lot of blood. This can occur because of a serious injury or major surgery.
• You become severely dehydrated because of vomiting or overuse of diuretics.
• You have a serious heart problem, such as heart failure, heart attack, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia), high blood pressure, endocarditis, heart valve disease, or cardiac tamponade.
• You have a disease that causes kidney or liver damage, such as nephrotic syndrome, cirrhosis, lupus, or another disease that causes inflammation of the blood vessels (vasculitis).
• You have another serious condition, such as severe malnutrition, burns, a severe or crushing injury, or severe infection (sepsis).
• You have used medicines that can affect the kidneys, including antibiotics such as gentamicin and streptomycin, ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure, anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen, or the dyes (contrast agents) used in certain X-ray tests.
• You have a sudden blockage that prevents urine from flowing out of the kidneys. Kidney stones, a tumor, an injury, or an enlarged prostate gland can cause a blockage.

The three main types of acute renal failure are:

• Prerenal acute renal failure, which is caused by a sudden serious drop in blood flow to the kidneys.
• Intrinsic acute renal failure, which is the result of damage to the kidneys.
• Postrenal acute renal failure, which is caused by a sudden blockage that prevents urine from flowing out of the kidneys.

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