Yes, someone can die of kidney failure. Kidney failure can be acute or chronic. Acute kidney disease is a sudden loss of kidney function, which can sometimes be reversed with prompt treatment. However, chronic kidney disease is a progressive condition where the kidney function deteriorates over time. If kidney disease progresses to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), the kidneys are no longer able to perform their necessary functions effectively. Without life-sustaining treatments such as dialysis or a kidney transplant, a person with ESRD can indeed die within a short period of time, potentially a week or so, as the body accumulates waste and toxins that the kidneys are no longer able to filter out. read more >>

Acute kidney disease has the potential to reverse itself. But in chronic kidney disease, kidney function gradually worsens with time. ... In other words, without a lifesaving measure like dialysis or a kidney transplant, a person would die within a week or so.read more >>