Abstract

Acute kidney injury is a common syndrome, affecting about one in every five hospitalized patients, and linked to increased mortality, risk of chronic disease and length of stay. Acute kidney injury is preventable in around 20% of cases and is often belatedly diagnosed. For these reasons, prevention and regular assessment of kidney function are important in high-risk patients. In
case of acute kidney injury, it is essential to promptly identify the cause, as causespecific treatment might be needed to restore kidney function. The aim of this review is to describe the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of acute kidney injury.