Consequences of chronic renal failure

Vivian Imbriotis | Jan. 4, 2026

NEURO

Uraemic polyneuropathy / myopathy


RESP

Volume overload pulmonary oedema


CVS

Volume overload hypertension

Atherosclerosis

Uraemic pericarditis


RENAL

Oliguria / anuria

Calcium disturbances

HyperPO4

Hyperkalaemia

Hypotonic hyponatraemia (water-wasting, salt-wasting)

Urea increases (decreased glomerular clearance)

Mixed HAGMA and NAGMA (loss of both Cl- excretion and excretion of anions like PO4 and SO4)


GIT

Decreased GI motility

GI bleeding

May be protein-restricted


HAEM

EPO-deficiency anaemia

Uraemic platelet dysfunction

TPO-deficiency thrombocytopaenia


IMMUNOLOGY

Increased risk of infections


PHARMACOLOGY

Decreased clearance of renally excreted drugs

Decreased protein binding if protein-wasting \(\to\) hypoalbuminaemia