Your kidneys are two small, bean-shaped organs that do big jobs—filtering waste from your blood, balancing fluids, and helping control blood pressure. When the kidneys stop working properly, it’s called kidney disease. But not all kidney problems are the same.
There are two main types: acute kidney disease and chronic kidney disease. Understanding the difference between them is important because they happen in very different ways and require different types of care.
Acute kidney disease, also called acute kidney injury (AKI), happens suddenly—over hours or days. It’s often caused by something that puts stress on the kidneys quickly, such as severe dehydration, a sudden drop in blood pressure, infections, certain medications, or major surgery.
For example, if someone becomes very sick with a high fever and can’t drink enough fluids, their kidneys might stop working well for a short time. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that AKI is more common in hospital settings, especially in patients in intensive care.
The good news is that acute kidney disease can often be reversed if treated early. Once the cause is removed and fluids or medications are given, the kidneys may return to normal function within days or weeks.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD), on the other hand, develops slowly over time—often months or years. It usually happens when conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes damage the kidneys little by little. This damage can’t be undone, and if it gets worse, it may lead to kidney failure.
CKD is common and often goes unnoticed in the early stages because symptoms may not appear until the kidneys are badly damaged. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 7 adults has CKD, but most don’t know it. Risk factors include age, family history, heart disease, and being overweight.
The symptoms of acute and chronic kidney disease can overlap but often differ in timing. People with AKI may notice a sudden decrease in the amount of urine they produce, swelling in the legs or face, fatigue, confusion, or nausea. These symptoms come on quickly and may improve just as quickly with treatment.
With CKD, symptoms are more gradual. As the disease worsens, people may feel more tired, have trouble concentrating, experience muscle cramps, itchy skin, changes in urination, or swelling in the ankles. In the later stages, people may develop serious complications like anemia, bone disease, or heart problems.
Doctors diagnose both types of kidney disease using blood and urine tests. A key test is the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which measures how well the kidneys are filtering. In acute kidney injury, GFR drops suddenly but may recover. In chronic kidney disease, GFR drops slowly over time and may continue to decline.
Treatment also depends on the type. For AKI, the main goal is to treat the cause—like giving fluids for dehydration or stopping a harmful medication. Many people recover fully if treated quickly. For CKD, treatment focuses on slowing the damage.
This often includes controlling blood pressure and blood sugar, taking medications, and making lifestyle changes like eating a low-salt, kidney-friendly diet. In the most advanced stages, people may need dialysis or a kidney transplant.
In short, acute kidney disease is a sudden, short-term problem that may be reversed, while chronic kidney disease is a long-term condition that usually gets worse over time.
Both are serious, but with early detection and the right treatment, many people can manage kidney disease and live healthy lives. Knowing the difference helps people take the right steps to protect their kidney health and get the care they need.
If you care about kidney health, please read studies about drug that prevents kidney failure in diabetes, and drinking coffee could help reduce risk of kidney injury.
For more information about kidney health, please see recent studies about foods that may prevent recurrence of kidney stones, and common painkillers may harm heart, kidneys and more.
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