Tips To Prevent The Risk Of Kidney Damage From Medications
- When taking OTC drugs, pay careful attention to labels and take the medication exactly as directed.
- When possible, avoid taking medicines like NSAIDs over long periods of time and only under the guidance of your healthcare provider.
- Make sure youre not taking medications more often or at a stronger dose than needed, as this is a common cause of toxicity.
- Drink adequate fluid to flush out the toxins. Dehydration is a known factor for kidney failure, as it can cause the medication to become too concentrated and to stay in the system too long.
- Avoid drinking alcohol, as it can lead to dehydration, increased blood pressure, and liver disease, placing you at greater risk of kidney dysfunction.
- Have all your medications dispensed at the one pharmacy so your pharmacist can monitor your medications and check for harmful interactions between your medications.
How Opioid Use Can Harm Your Kidneys
Both prescription opioids and illicit opiate drugs can, directly and indirectly, cause internal damage, including to the kidneys. Additives in street heroin, for example, can include substances that do not readily dissolve, clogging the blood vessels leading to organs such as the kidneys and causing infection or death of small patches of organ cells, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Kidney Failure From Sepsis
Kidney failure is very common in sepsis, but it can be reversed most of the time with the proper treatment of sepsis. If you would like to understand what sepsis is, please read this article: Low blood pressure and a fever, think sepsis. In summary, sepsis is a potentially life-threatening complication from an infection where the body can get overwhelmed and crash down.
Patients with severe sepsis and kidney failure may need intensive care in the ICU. The treatment is focused on treating the infection and supporting the body to maintain good blood circulation. If a good blood circulation with normal blood pressure is restored, the kidneys start to recover, and the kidney failure can be ultimately reversed back to normal.
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Top 16 Drugs That Cause Kidney Damage: Please Share For Awareness
Dec 20, 2016Carly FraserSave For Later
Our kidneys are one of the largest filtration systems of the body. They remove waste products and excess fluid from the body through urine that we eventually excrete. Unfortunately, a lot of these toxins are a byproduct of drugs that we ingest.
There are over 16 different drugs that cause kidney damage, ranging from severe, to even deadly conditions. A lot of the time, we can go about in our day to day lives without even noticing something is wrong.
According to Jeremy Allen, DO, a board-certified family practitioner with American Family Care, Symptoms of kidney damage are typically very subtle, and by the time you notice them, there is usually already serious harm doneIt is possible to lose as much as 90% of kidney function without having any overt symptoms.
Once symptoms do start to arise, you may experience the following: Shortness of breath caused by fluid buildup in the lungs Chest pain, caused by inflammation of the pericardium Muscle weakness caused by electrolyte imbalance Permanent kidney damage, requiring permanent dialysis or kidney transplant Death
The liver is also largely affected by the ingestion of prescription drugs, seeing as how the livers main function is to detoxify chemicals and metabolize drugs.
Should I Keep Taking My High Blood Pressure Medication
Hypertension is a common cause of kidney problems. Hypertension damages the blood vessels of the kidneys and affects their ability to filter the blood. Kidneys also help to regulate blood pressure, so kidney damage can make hypertension worse. Over time, hypertension can cause kidney failure.
If you are living with hypertension, you might take medication for the problem. You may be reading news reports questioning the safety of taking certain prescription medicines to manage their condition: ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers .
Sperati says that patients should stay on their medications and discuss concerns with their doctors.
Right now there are two sides debating this issue. One side is saying, based on animal studies, that these medications might be harmful, increasing risk of infection. The other says these same drugs might protect against lung damage and other problems associated with COVID-19.
But all of the professional societies have published articles recommending that you not change your medications, he says. Staying the course with your prescriptions, he adds, can lower the risk of heart and kidney damage from unchecked high blood pressure.
Sperati does recommend that patients with kidney issues stay away from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , such as ibuprofen and naproxen. These can raise blood pressure and increase fluid volume in the body, which puts strain on the kidneys.
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The Effect Of Liver Disease
Individuals with liver disease are at increased risk of experiencing adverse effects on the kidneys. It is common for those with cirrhosis to also have enlarged kidneys, with an estimated 33% increase in kidney weight 13. Some of the other kidney problems resulting from liver disease include
Some of the other kidney problems resulting from liver disease include 13:
- Acute kidney failure.
- Compromised sodium handling.
- Weakened fluid handling.
Experiments with alcohol-administered rats have revealed kidney swelling, impaired renal functioning, and enlarged kidney cells containing a considerable increase in water, fat, and protein 13.
Further renal complications caused by direct alcohol consumption include 13:
- Electrolyte disturbances .
- Fluid imbalance.
- Hyponatremia, or abnormally low sodium levels.
- Potassium, magnesium, and calcium depletion.
- Extremely high or low phosphate levels.
- Fluid accumulation.
- Alcoholic ketoacidosis, a condition characterized by dangerously high blood acidity.
- Alkalosis, or low acidity.
Smoking tobacco is associated with a number of kidney complications, such as 2:
- Sped-up progression of kidney disease in people with high blood pressure and diabetes.
- Microalbuminuria 14.
It may also cause progression of the following:
Are Your Medications Causing Kidney Disease
Duncan Capicchiano
No matter what kind of medication you take, whether over-the-counter or prescription, it is destined to take a trip through your kidneys. Because the kidneys provide the final pathway for excreting drugs and their metabolites, they are unfortunately subjected to high concentrations of potentially toxic substances.
Medications that can damage the kidneys are known as nephrotoxic medications. Some of these medications mildly worsen kidney function, others can cause acute kidney injury or lasting kidney damage.
Drugs cause nephrotoxicity in different ways but their main effects can be grouped into four categories:
The risk for kidney damage depends on your individual health and other medications you are taking. People with existing kidney conditions or damage are at much greater risk of harm by nephrotoxic medications.
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Link Between Dialysis Patient Opioid Use And Death
As kidney disease advances, it can lead to kidney failure and end-stage renal disease. In recent years, aggressive pain treatment for ESRD included prescription opioids. A 2017 study on opioid prescription morbidity and mortality in dialysis patients published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology found that patients with short-term and chronic opioid prescriptions had increased mortality, dialysis discontinuation, and hospitalization. The study also found that:
- More than 60 percent of dialysis patients had at least one opioid prescription every year.
- Approximately 20 percent of patients had a chronic opioid prescription each year, usually for hydrocodone, oxycodone, or tramadol.
- Opioid drugs can be associated with mortality, most associated with worsened morbidity.
The study concluded that opioid drug prescriptions for dialysis patients are associated with an increased risk of death, dialysis discontinuation, and hospitalization. It is recommended to consider efforts to treat pain effectively while decreasing opioid prescriptions.
What Causes Dog Kidney Failure
Dogskidney problemskidney failurekidneys
. Thereof, can a dog recover from kidney failure?
Sadly, many dogs with acute renal failure will not survive more than several days. However, if caught early enough and treated aggressively, some dogs can fully recover. Treatment generally involves intravenous fluid therapy and supportive medications.
Similarly, what are the signs of kidney failure in dogs? Symptoms of Kidney Failure in Dogs
- Vomiting.
- Lack of appetite
People also ask, how long does a dog live with kidney failure?
The prognosis for kidney disease is quite variable depending on response to the initial stage of treatment and your ability to perform the follow-up care. We encourage treatment in most situations because many dogs will respond and maintain a good quality of life for up to four years.
What foods cause kidney failure in dogs?
Ordinary table foods like grapes and raisins certain commercial jerky treat products common OTC medications like aspirin or other nonsteroidals or prescribed medications can all cause kidney disease.
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Jamika Montans
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What Causes Kidney Cysts
The actual cause of kidney cysts is still unknown, in contrast to polycystic kidneys which are caused by heredity. However, kidney cysts are thought to occur because of the surface layer that begins to weaken, then forms a pocket. The bag is then filled with fluid, detached until it becomes a cyst.
Cases of kidney cyst disease are more common in men than women. In addition, kidney cysts are also easier to occur in people over the age of 50 years and diabetics.
Avoiding The Triple Whammy
The term triple whammy refers to the use of an ACE inhibitor or angiotensin-II receptor blocker , with a diuretic and a NSAID.
ACE inhibitors or ARBs and diuretics are commonly prescribed together however taking these medications together can increase the risk of AKI. Prescribing a NSAID alongside these medications considerably increases the risk of AKI.
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Drugs That Cause Kidney Cysts
Kidney cysts are disorders of the kidneys caused by the appearance of fluid-filled sacs in kidney tissue. Kidney cysts can appear in one or both kidneys in the human body. However, do you know what medications can cause kidney cysts to form? Find out more about, Drugs That Cause Kidney Cysts: 5 Medications That Can Harm Your Kidneys!!
Kidney cysts generally do not cause symptoms that are so identifiable, so sometimes people have them without knowing the cause. Various medications can affect even aggravate your kidneys.
Coronavirus Might Target Kidney Cells
The virus itself infects the cells of the kidney. Kidney cells have receptors that enable the new coronavirus to attach to them, invade, and make copies of itself, potentially damaging those tissues. Similar receptors are found on cells of the lungs and heart, where the new coronavirus has been shown to cause injury.
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Can Kidneys Recover After Covid
As of yet, Sperati says, its uncertain how many people with COVID-19-related kidney damage regain their kidney function.
He says, Patients with acute kidney injury due to COVID-19 who do not require dialysis will have better outcomes than those who need dialysis, and we have seen patients at Johns Hopkins who recover kidney function. We have even had patients in the ICU with acute kidney injury who have required dialysis, and subsequently regained their kidney function. How often that occurs is still not known, but without question, the need for dialysis is a worrisome development in patients with COVID-19.
Can Kidney Failure Be Reversed
Certain types of kidney failure can be reversed. The treatment of reversible kidney failure usually needs hospitalization. Not all kidney failures are reversible, but reversible kidney failure is more common than you think. I have personally treated and reversed kidney failure many times in the last 15 years. Most patients I treated that were hospitalized for kidney failure didnt know their kidney failures could be reversed. I am writing this article to help other patients and families that are going through a similar situation understand reversible kidney failure.
In this article, I will review different types of reversible kidney failures based on my personal experience as well as a review of relevant research articles.
Here are 8 different types of kidney failures that can be reversed:
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The Function Of The Kidneys
The majority of abused substances are excreted through the kidneys.
The kidneys job is to filter the blood pumped throughout the body in order to create urine 3. Urine is comprised of excess fluid and waste products and, once formed in the kidneys, it travels to the bladder, where it is stored in anticipation of its periodic excretion 3. Working in concert with each other, these two organs help to stabilize electrolytes and prevent waste and fluid buildup in the blood 3.
Drugs and alcohol are no exception when it comes to the renal filtration process in fact, the majority of abused substances are excreted through the kidneys2.
The Effect Of Painkillers
Some opioid painkillers, such as Vicodin and Percocet, contain acetaminophen, commonly marketed as Tylenol.
Long-term use of acetaminophen-containing prescription painkillers or acetaminophen alone can cause two types of kidney damage 20:
- Analgesic nephropathy: a condition that progresses to irreversible renal failure 21.
- Chronic kidney failure.
In the case of analgesic nephropathy, a person will likely require a kidney transplant or dialysis to return to normal renal functioning 21.
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Monitoring Kidney Function Is Key
Experts have suggested that doctors should consider regular monitoring for impaired kidney function after starting or increasing the dosages of drugs associated with nephrotoxicity. According to one study, more than 30% of preventable kidney events related to medications were caused by a lack of proper monitoring.
There are also a number of medications that need dosage adjustment according to renal function. What this means is that as renal function decreases, the dose of the medication also needs to be reduced.
Commonly prescribed medications that need to be adjusted according to renal function include antibiotics and antifungals, antivirals, diabetic medications , cardiac drugs , diuretics, opioids, anticonvulsants and drugs for gout .
Coronavirus Kidney Damage: A Serious Sign
Organ systems like the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys rely on and support one another’s functions, so when the new coronavirus causes damage in one area, others might be at risk. The kidneys essential functions have an impact on the heart, lungs and other systems. That may be why doctors note that kidney damage arising in patients with COVID-19 is a possible warning sign of a serious, even fatal course of the disease.
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Research Is Revealing More About Sars
While kidney damage in COVID-19 is still not well understood, more data will reveal how this occurs. Sperati, who also conducts research on kidney disease, says the Johns Hopkins Division of Nephrology is exploring exactly how SARS-CoV-2 and the bodys response to it is affecting kidney health.
He says that patients with COVID-19-related kidney damage should follow up with their doctors to ensure kidney function is returning to normal. Lasting kidney damage might require dialysis or other therapies even after recovery from COVID-19.
Mostly, Sperati stresses the importance of adhering to guidelines around physical distancing and hand-washing, the basics of prevention. For everyone, especially people with underlying chronic disease, avoiding infection with COVID-19 for as long as you can is crucial, he says.
Right now, we dont have a treatment or vaccine for this disease. The longer a person can go without getting infected, the better chance they have of benefiting from a future therapy.
Coronavirus
Pfizer Covid Pills May Be Risky With Other Medications
In its fact sheet about Paxlovid, the FDA has published a detailed list of medications that may interact harmfully with ritonavir, including those that should not be paired with the Covid antivirals.
However, pharmacists stress that many of the drug interactions are manageable and that they should not preclude most people from taking Paxlovid.
Pharmacists are highly trained experts in medication safety and monitoring and are an excellent source of information and advice about interactions between medications and also supplements and herbal products, said Emily Zadvorny, a clinical pharmacist who is the executive director of the Colorado Pharmacists Society. They will help determine if a significant interaction exists and devise solutions to mitigate the interaction if possible.
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The Need To Monitor Kidney Function With Certain Drugs
Experts have suggested that after the initial assessment of kidney function, physicians should consider regular monitoring after starting or increasing the dosage of drugs associated with nephrotoxicity, especially those used chronically in patients with multiple risk factors for impaired kidney function, Dr. Naughton noted. If there is any sign of kidney harm, the provider should review the medications you are taking in order to identify which one is causing the problem.
If multiple medications are present and the patient is clinically stable, physicians should start by discontinuing the drug most recently added to the patients medication regimen. Once that has been taken care of, further harm to the kidneys may be minimized by keeping blood pressure stable, staying hydrated, and temporarily avoiding the use of other medications that may cause nephrotoxicity.
These safety tips can ensure you get the care you need while keeping your kidneys safe. That way, they can tend to essential functions like keeping things flowing .Originally published May 11, 2017