ABSTRACT
Kidney dysfunction is often accompanied by dysfunction of other organs in the critical care scenario. Lung dysfunction is particularly common, and astute clinicians have observed for some time that there seems to be a predisposition to combined lung and kidney dysfunction. Accordingly, an intimate knowledge of normal lung structure, as well as normal and pathologic lung function, aids in understanding the complex interactions between these organs. In this chapter, we cover those aspects of lung physiology most germane to the setting of renal compromise, and then turn to specific renal processes as archetypes for each potential pathway of adverse interaction. This ‘physiology-based’ approach will provide a broader context in which to view kidney-lung interactions.
