Acute kidney injury misdiagnosis can cause dangerous consequences

Receiving a diagnosis of kidney injury in Florida can be devastating for a patient. However, it may be even worse to learn that it was completely misdiagnosed based on inaccurate diagnosis methods. An initial diagnosis may take several days to a week to properly diagnose. 

Medical Xpress published an article by Columbia University Medical Center which suggests acute kidney injury may have an inaccurate initial diagnosis. Researchers have learned that additional biomarkers may be more reliable in determining kidney injury rather than the standard use of creatinine. Excreted in urine, creatinine is a kidney waste product but only provides “a retrospective look at the kidney’s response to possible injury.” 

Rising creatinine levels can suggest an acute kidney injury, but then those levels often return to normal within as little as three days. Unfortunately, a patient who receives a misdiagnosis may also receive dangerous treatments they do not need. Kidney damage because of dehydration is irreversible while pulmonary edema can happen during rehydration therapy of patients with kidney damage. 

The National Kidney Foundation lists the common tests used to determine acute kidney injuries. Blood tests search for creatinine and BUN levels that can illuminate kidney function. Patients often do a urine sample both to measure output and look at the composition. Ultrasounds are another diagnostic tool used by physicians along with biopsies in certain cases. 

Should the patient have an acute kidney injury diagnosis, they must stay in the hospital. While the name suggests direct kidney damage, the injuries can happen due to a decreased blood flow or a blockage of the urinary tract.