1,000 hospital patients die each month from avoidable kidney problems
Research finds acute kidney injury costs more than £1bn every year, and is responsible for at least 15,000 deaths annually
At least 1,000 hospital patients in England die each month from avoidable kidney problems, according to a study commissioned by the NHS.
Researchers found that 15,000-40,000 excess deaths every year are caused by acute kidney injury (AKI), which causes a loss of kidney function and can develop very quickly. It can occur in people who are already ill with conditions such as heart failure or diabetes and those admitted to hospital with infections.
AKI can also develop after major surgery, such as some kinds of heart surgery, because the kidneys can be deprived of normal blood flow during the procedure. Severe dehydration is one of the main causes of the condition.
Surgeons performing kidney operation. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
