Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious complication of cardiovascular surgery, and its detection rate, depending on diagnostic criteria and the severity of AKI, ranges from 12 to 55%. The development of AKI is caused by the repeated effects of aggressive factors on the kidneys, occurring before and after surgery. AKI remains a strong independent factor of increased risk of progression of chronic kidney disease and is associated with high hospital mortality and late adverse cardiovascular events. To improve the long-term prognosis, more attention should be paid to the prevention of AKI after cardicac surgery. Severe AKI, requiring renal replacement therapy, is rare, but mortality ranges from 40% to 80%. This fact emphasizes the primary importance of therapeutic interventions that can maintain renal function during the perioperative period, especially in high-risk patients.

Keywords: acute kidney injury, cardiovascular surgery, chronic kidney disease