Acute renal failure: prevention and treatment.

Oliguria has been considered a cardinal feature of acute renal failure. Most studies indicate that non oliguric forms of acute renal failure are associated with less morbidity and mortality than oliguric forms. Mannitol, loop diuretics and dopamine have been used to prevent and treat renal ischemia. Although the final fate of patients with oliguric acute renal failure is more influenced by the primary disease than by anuria per se the possibility of reversing anuria seems to represent a better prognostic factor in the outcome of these patients.