Clinical types and drug therapy of renal impairment in cirrhosis

Summary Four separate types of renal failure in cirrhosis are described: functional renal failure; diuretic induced uraemia; acute tubular necrosis; chronic intrinsic renal disease. Functional renal failure may arise spontaneously or be precipitated by such factors as haemorrhage, surgery, or infection. It carries a poor prognosis but preliminary results of treating this condition with plasma volume expansion in combination with high doses of furosemide are encouraging.