[What should the general practitioner know about diagnosis and treatment of acute kidney failure?].

Acute renal failure (ARF) is defined as a renal insufficiency of sudden onset (increase of creatinine and urea in the serum) combined with or without oliguria (less than 500 ml of urine per day). Nephrotoxins (drugs, contrast medium) or renal ischemia (hypovolemia, hypotension, shock, septicemia, treatment with CEI) may affect the renal tubulus through several pathways, all of which may result in ARF. Ultrasound allows to distinguish hydronephrosis from ARF which is characterized by increased width of the parenchyma and low echodensity of the medulla. ARF is usually reversible. If conservative therapy fails, dialysis treatment is necessary.