One of the risks a patient with chronic kidney disease faces is adverse drug reactions. This usually occurs in patients who are in more moderate to advanced stages of the condition. Kidneys are necessary to filter the blood and remove the toxins and wastes generated by the body. They mix that material with water and allow it to be expelled through urine.

Chronic kidney disease is diagnosed when one or both kidneys operate at reduced efficiency or are no longer functional. A study looked at 3033 patients with chronic kidney disease who were not required to utilize dialysis. Over 2 years, 536 of the patients experienced 751 adverse drug reactions; 150 of those
reactions were considered serious.

The more common disorders were renal and urinary, particularly acute kidney injury. Other problems included gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and connective tissue disorders. Renal disorders and hemorrhages actually made up two thirds of serious reactions. Thirteen percent of serious cases of drugs causing adverse effects were preventable, with another 19% being potentially preventable.

Researchers found three drug classes were responsible for much of the adverse effects and all of the serious effects. These were renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors, anti-thrombotic agents, and diuretics. When these drugs were discontinued, adverse effects dropped to 14%. For more information on kidney studies, potential contraindication information and other important kidney-related content, be sure to visit our YouTube and take a look at some of our latest videos.