Common analgesic agents and their role in analgesic nephropathy: A commentary of the evidence

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Yaxley, Julian^*

Affiliations: Department of Medicine, Redcliffe Hospital, Redcliffe, QLD, Australia

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Julian Yaxley, Department of Medicine, Redcliffe Hospital, Redcliffe, 8/18 High Vista Drive, Mt Louisa, QLD 4814, Australia. Tel.: +61 0420808049; E-mail: julianyaxley@yahoo.com.au.

Abstract: An association between non-opioid analgesic agents and chronic kidney disease has long been suspected. The presumed development of chronic renal impairment following protracted excessive use of non-opioid analgesia is known as analgesic nephropathy. Many accept analgesic nephropathy as a real entity despite a paucity of robust scientific evidence. The weight of available observational literature suggests that long-term ingestion of paracetamol and combination mixtures of aspirin and paracetamol probably contribute to chronic renal impairment, however there is no convincing data to implicate non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin monotherapy. While controversy persists most physicians consider all non-narcotic analgesics nephrotoxic and discourage heavy use where possible.

Keywords: Analgesic nephropathy, analgesics, chronic renal impairment

DOI: 10.3233/JRS-170735

Journal: International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 189-196, 2016