Acute Renal Tubular Necrosis

Excerpt

The most common cause of acute kidney injury is acute tubular necrosis (ATN), and renal survival is closely related to the severity of ATN. Acute tubular necrosis is most common in hospitalized individuals and is associated with high morbidity and mortality; it can also occur in the community and is referred to as community-acquired ATN. The pattern of injury that defines acute tubular necrosis includes renal cell damage and death. An ischemic event, a nephrotoxic mechanism, or a mixture of both causes intrarenal vasoconstriction or a direct effect of drug toxicity. Unsurprisingly, those with underlying renal disease are prone to more severe ATN than those without underlying disease.