AKI can usually be reversed if the cause of the ischemia is corrected before damage to the renal cells has occurred
kidney can endure a relatively large reduction in blood flow before actual damage to the renal cells occurs
This decreases the amount of sodium chloride that must be reabsorbed by the tubules, which use most of the energy and oxygen consumed by the normal kidney
Therefore, as renal blood flow and GFR fall, the requirement for renal oxygen consumption is also reduced.
When blood flow is reduced below this basal requirement, which is usually less than 20 to 25 percent of the normal renal blood flow,
the renal cells become hypoxic, and further decreases in renal blood flow, if prolonged, will cause damage or even death of the renal cells, especially the tubular epithelial cells.