Abstract
Objective: Describe the main risk factors, etiophysiopathology and management of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Bibliographic review: AKI, which represents a sudden decline in renal function, affects up to 50% of critically ill patients. For its diagnosis, it is important to analyze diuresis, increase in creatinine and glomerular filtration rate, since slight changes in these factors can cause significant differences in the outcomes of critically ill patients, and early detection of the disease is essential. The most frequent causes of this pathology are sepsis, hypovolemia and nephrotoxic agents. Among the main risk factors for the development of AKI in the ICU are: ischemic, nephrotoxic, infectious, obstructive events, arterial hypotension, shock, cardiovascular, hepatic and respiratory insufficiencies, neoplasms and the average length of stay in the unit greater than seven days. Treatment of the underlying cause usually results in the patient's recovery, however, Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT) is sometimes necessary. Final considerations: It is understood that AKI is a syndrome of renal failure with multifactorial dysfunction and damage to several organs. Because it is lethal, frequent in ICU patients and difficult to manage, an early diagnosis and immediate and appropriate management are necessary.