Nonsteroid Anti-inflammatory Drugs and Kidney

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are often used in the treatment of chronic and acute pain and inflammation as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent. They inhibit the synthesis of prostaglandins which have influence on glomerular capillaries, vasa recta and tubular functions. They lead to significant complications such as hyperkalemia, hyponatremia, edema and hypertension. Usage of NSAIDs is a risk factor for acute kidney injury in some conditions such as advanced age, dehydration, vomiting, diuretics, ACE/ARB therapy, heart failure, nephrotic syndrome, cirrhosis and chronic kidney disease. Acute interstitial nephritis is not dependent on the drug dose and it is characterized by immunological inflammatory reaction and a decrease in creatinine clearance. Besides the classical findings, glomerules can be involved and minimal change disease or membranous glomerulonephritis can develop. Analgesic nephropathy is characterized by interstitial nephritis and papillary necrosis. Metabolites of NSAIDs are accumulated in renal medulla which has lowest oxygen pressure in kidney and they disrupt the renal parencymal perfusion by vasoconstriction. Respectively, papillar necrosis, glomerular sclerosis, interstitial fibrosis and cortical atrophy can develop insidiously.