Ms. N.T. L, 81 years old, in Ho Chi Minh City, was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney failure and treated for a long time. Her kidney function once improved significantly, but then she bought pain relievers herself to treat digestive disorders, causing kidney function to continue to decline.
When admitted to the hospital, Ms. L. was tired and lost weight for unknown reasons. Test results showed that the eGFR was only 29.54 mL/minute/1.73 m2, while in healthy adults, this index is usually above 90 mL/minute/1.73 m2. She received medical treatment, while also controlling underlying diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, adjusting electrolyte disorders and changing diet and lifestyle.
According to TTƯT. BS. CKII Ta Phuong Dung, Deputy Director of the Center for Urology - Nephrology - Andrology, Head of the Department of Nephrology - Hemodialysis, Tam Anh General Hospital HCMC, after a month of treatment, Ms. L.'s eGFR increased to 57.22 mL/minute/1.73 m2, nearly double compared to the time of admission.
Dr. Dung said that for people with kidney failure, treatment is not only aimed at improving kidney function but also to control factors that may continue to cause damage such as dehydration, infection, underlying diseases and inappropriate drug use.
However, in mid-June, Ms. L. suffered from digestive disorders, vomiting and dehydration. Instead of going to the hospital, she bought pain relievers herself to use. After that, tests showed that the eGFR decreased to 47 mL/minute/1.73 m2.
According to Dr. Dung, this condition may be related to dehydration and self-medication without doctor's control. After being instructed to replenish fluids and adjust treatment, her kidney function continued to improve.
Doctors warn that many people believe that common pain relievers and fever reducers can be bought and used safely themselves. However, elderly people or people with chronic kidney disease are at risk of complications when using medication incorrectly.
In particular, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and diclofenac can reduce blood flow to the kidneys, thereby causing acute kidney damage or making chronic kidney disease worse in people at risk.
Even paracetamol, a common pain reliever and fever-reducing drug, should not be used arbitrarily for long periods or increased doses. For the elderly, kidney failure, liver failure or many underlying diseases, doctors need to assess the specific condition to choose the drug and adjust the appropriate dose.
There are drugs that healthy people use that may not cause any problems, but for people with kidney disease, the elderly, people with liver disease or many underlying diseases, they can cause dangerous consequences," Dr. Dung advised.
Kidney dysfunction often progresses silently, many cases are only detected when the disease has progressed. Therefore, elderly people, people with diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease or people who have had kidney disease should have regular kidney function check-ups.
In particular, patients with kidney failure need to consult a doctor before using any medication, including over-the-counter medications.
