Drug-associated renal dysfunction and injury

Renal dysfunction and injury secondary to medications are common, and can present as subtle injury and/or overt renal failure. Some drugs perturb renal perfusion and induce loss of filtration capacity. Others directly injure vascular, tubular, glomerular and interstitial cells, such that specific loss of renal function leads to clinical findings, including microangiopathy, Fanconi syndrome, acute tubular necrosis, acute interstitial nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, obstruction, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, electrolyte abnormalities and chronic renal failure. Understanding the mechanisms involved, and recognizing the clinical presentations of renal dysfunction arising from use of commonly prescribed medications, are important if injury is to be detected early and prevented. This article reviews the clinical features and basic processes underlying renal injury related to the use of common drugs.