What is prerenal azotemia?
Prerenal azotemia is a functional form of Acute kidney injury that results from diminished kidney perfusion.
As there is no parenchymal injury, the hallmark of prerenal azotemia is the rapid normalization of kidney function when kidney perfusion is restored.
Common etiologies of prerenal azotemia include intravascular volume depletion, congestive heart failure (cardiorenal syndrome), and advanced liver disease.
The hepatorenal syndrome is a severe form of prerenal azotemia in patients with cirrhosis of the liver and severe portal hypertension.
Patients with prerenal azotemia are often (although not always) oliguric and generally manifest increased sodium reabsorption if they are not being treated with diuretics.
