Medication-Induced Chronic Kidney Disease

The cause of several Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) isn't always known, but the traditional causes of chronic kidney disease are diabetes (high blood sugar levels caused by diabetes damage blood vessels in the kidneys) and high blood pressure (uncontrolled high blood pressure damages blood vessels, which can lead to damage in the kidneys).

Diabetes or high blood pressure may also speed up the progression of Chronic Kidney Disease in someone who already has the disease.

Other non-Traditional causes of Chronic Kidney Disease have already been discussed on this website, and they include – using my new nomenclature Mycotoxin Related Chronic Kidney Disease, Silica Dust Related Chronic Kidney Disease, Aristolochic Acid Related Chronic Kidney Disease, Cadmium Related Chronic Kidney Disease, Radiation Related Chronic Kidney Disease, Sugar Cane Worker Chronic Kidney Disease, Phosphate Fertiliser Related Chronic Kidney Disease and High Altitude Related Chronic Kidney Disease.

Another non-Traditional causes of Chronic Kidney Disease is the long-term use of certain medicines that can damage the kidneys. Examples include over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)[1], such as celecoxib andibuprofen, and certain antibiotics, such as erythromycin, clarithromycin and azithromycin[2].

However, some scientists beg to differ and think that there isn't a relationship between NSDAIDs and kidney disease[3]. Tell that to vultures who have died in their hundreds after they ate carcasses of livestock that were 'pre-treated' with diclofenac.

I would like to propose the term Medication-Induced Chronic Kidney Disease for this specific Chronic Kidney Disease.

[1] Ungprasert et al: Individual non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and risk of acute kidney injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies in European Journal of Internal Medicine – 2016
[2] Ma et al: Clinical manifestation of macrolide antibiotic toxicity in CKD and dialysis patients in Clinical Kidney Journal - 2014
[3] Yaxley, Litfin: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and the development of analgesic nephropathy: a systematic review in Renal Failure – 2016