Prescribing medicines for patients with renal impairment

Renal impairment is common worldwide and poses a significant challenge to safe drug prescribing. As renal function falls, drug clearance decreases and exposure to free drug often increases, leading to increased risks of toxicity and adverse drug reactions. There is also a risk of therapeutic failure as some drugs become less effective when renal function declines or dose reductions are excessive. Polypharmacy is common in this patient group, increasing the risk of drug interactions. It is therefore important that prescribers have a good understanding of the altered pharmacokinetics seen in renal disease and understand the need for dose alterations of some drugs, as well as enhanced monitoring for early signs of drug toxicity.
Source: Medicine - Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Tags: Clinical pharmacology Source Type: research