Acute kidney injury (AKI) results in long-term reduction in renal function, leading to an increased risk of developing progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD), requiring life-long dialysis. Old age, along with increased prevalence of diabetes, can increase the risk of AKI with CKD, along with individuals in high-risk professions who experience exertional rhabdomyolysis, dehydration, crush injuries, blood loss, burn, and sepsis at higher rates than the general population. No therapies have been proven to reduce AKI-driven, post-injury CKD progression; many experimental drugs given in clinical trials were only effective when given before the initiating injury, and the fact that patients often only seek treatment late in the course of AKI means that effective therapies will need to reverse established injury or rapidly promote repair.