What is the term for the failure of the kidneys to perform their functions?

The term "renal failure" specifically refers to the condition where the kidneys are unable to carry out their essential functions, such as filtering waste products from the blood, regulating electrolytes, and maintaining fluid balance. This failure can be acute or chronic, but the general term encompasses both cases where there is a significant decline in kidney function.

Acute kidney injury, while describing a rapid decline in kidney function over hours or days, is a specific type of renal failure. Chronic kidney disease refers to a long-term, progressive loss of kidney function, which is also a form of renal failure but focuses on the gradual deterioration over time rather than immediate loss. Dialysis is a treatment used to artificially perform the functions of the kidneys when they fail, but it is not a term that describes the failure itself.

Thus, renal failure is the overarching term that accurately captures the condition of the kidneys not performing their necessary functions.