This document discusses acute kidney injury (AKI), including:
1) Definitions and diagnostic criteria for AKI based on increases in serum creatinine and decreases in urine output.
2) New biomarkers for detecting AKI such as NGAL, IL-18, and KIM-1.
3) Causes of AKI including prerenal, intrinsic renal, and postrenal etiologies. Prerenal and acute tubular necrosis are most common.
4) Supportive treatment is typically used while research investigates potential pharmacologic therapies like dopamine, ANP, and fenoldopam.