Drink plenty of fluid to make sure you have enough fluids in your body.
This is likely to be at least 7 cups a day (one cup = 200ml) unless you have other instructions from your doctor.
If you are vomiting, take small sips of water/fluid frequently, until your symptoms have settled.
Avoid drinking alcoholic drinks when you are unwell.
Speak to your GP or specialist team if you have passed much less urine than you normally pass OR if you are unable to keep fluids down and/or have continuing diarrhoea or vomiting.
You may need a blood test to check for AKI.
Inform your pharmacist regarding previous AKI when obtaining any medications including those that do not require a prescription.
Question: Are you under the care of a specialist team e.g. Heart Failure team or Kidney/ Renal Unit or Diabetes team?
If you are then contact the relevant team or ‘Out of Hours GP service’ before following medication advice on the next page and remember to mention any medication that has been started recently.
If not you can temporarily stop taking the medication listed on the next page until your symptoms settle. If this takes more than 48 hours please consult your GP or the ‘Out of Hours GP service’ for advice.
This is important. Dehydration may harm your kidneys and certain tablets can make this harm worse.
ACE inhibitors: given for blood pressure and heart or kidney problems. Examples: Ramipril, Lisinopril, Perindopril & others ending with “pril”
ARBs: given for blood pressure and heart or kidney problems Examples: Losartan, Candesartan, Irbesartan, Valsartan & others ending with “sartan”
NSAIDs: anti-inflammatory painkillers. Examples: Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Diclofenac, Celecoxib, Etoricoxib, Meloxicam among others
Diuretics: sometimes called water pills. Examples: Furosemide, Bumetanide, Spironolactone, Eplerenone, Bendroflumethiazide, Indapamide.
Metformin or Metformin combinations: medicine for diabetes
*This list is not exhaustive. If you are not sure whether your medicines belong to these categories, or if you have branded medicines and you are not sure of their other proper chemical (generic) name, please talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
There are a number of organisations that provide support and advice for people and their families with acute kidney injury:
Think Kidneys Website: https://www.thinkkidneys.nhs.uk/
The British Kidney Patient Association: http://www.britishkidney-pa.co.uk/ Free counselling and support service available every Tuesday and Wednesday. Ring 01420 541 424 for an appointment.
The National Kidney Federation: http://www.kidney.org.uk/ Helpline 0845 601 02 09 (freephone UK Landlines)
Kidney Research UK: https://www.kidneyresearchuk.org/ Telephone 0845 070 7601
Kidney Dialysis Information Centre: http://www.kidneydialysis.org.uk/
Aintree University Hospitals AKI Leaflet
Advancing Quality North West AKI Leaflet
Cheshire & Mersey Strategic Clinical
Networks AKI Leaflet
Think Kidneys ‘Information for the public’
Creation Date – April 2016
Next Review Date – April 2018
Produced By – Cheshire & Mersey
Acute Kidney Injury Network