Difference Between Renal Failure and Renal Insufficiency

There are many different causes for renal failure and renal insufficiency. However, some of the most prominent factors are diabetes and high blood pressure. Chronic kidney disease is a progressive disease, and it ranges from mild to lethal. The primary difference between renal failure and renal insufficiency is that patients who suffer from renal failure have their kidneys completely stop working. Those with renal insufficiency still have partially functioning kidneys.   

Renal Insufficiency

Renal insufficiency is a term that can apply to several stages of kidney failure. Most typically, this term is broken into two broad classifications. The first stage is known as Renal Insuffiency. During this stage, the kidneys will not fall below 60 percent of their normal functioning capacity. The more severe version of renal insufficiency is known as Advance Chronic Renal Insufficiency. This degree of renal disease is much more severe than the first. It is characterized as kidney function being reduced to between 30 and 59 percent. As a result, this form of renal insufficiency requires more intensive treatment.

Renal Failure

When the kidneys cease to work, the patient is said to be suffering from renal failure. If not treated, renal failure can quickly lead to death. Fortunately, treatment options are available for patients suffering from this disease. The primary method of treatment is dialysis or transplant. Dialysis is the most used method because there is a chronic shortage of available kidneys for transplant. Even patients who receive transplants will have waited an extensive amount of time. Until a donor kidney is available, the patient has no choice but to receive regular dialysis. This is the only way to continue to filter the blood of waste products.