Acute kidney injury following cardiac surgery: current understanding and future directions

Acute kidney injury (AKI) complicates recovery from cardiac surgery in up to 30% of patients, injures and impairs the function of the brain, lungs, and gut, and places patients at a 5-fold increased risk of death during hospitalization. The authors have provided a nice general overview of the key determinants, outcomes and treatments for AKI in the cardiac surgery patient.