Non prescription medications and Kidney Diseases
Comments OffKidney Disease
Certain groups of nonprescription medications present precautions in patients with kidney problems, usually due to potential toxicity if the medications cannot be renally eliminated. Fortunately, there are alternatives for each extremely the pharmacist can commit.
Acid Reducers: Antacids containing further than 50 mEq of magnesium or 25 mEq of potassium per maximum commit daily dose must carry a warning recommending very constant speak to a physician before use if they have kidney disease. This warning is meant to prevent hypermagnesemia or hyperkalemia in constant with a hampered inability to clear these ions. The warning is found on such products as Alka-Seltzer Gold (344 mg of potassium bicarbonate per notebook) and Maalox Advanced absolute Strength Suspension (200 mg of magnesium hydroxide per teaspoon).
A kidney warning is also found on histamine-2 (H2) blockers such as Pepcid AC Maximum soundness (20 mg of famotidine per tablet) and Zantac 150 (150 mg of ranitidine per tablet). The pharmaceutical chemist can entrust alternative output minus kidney warnings for these unwearied. Calcium carbonate is considered dangerous for kidney unwearied when used as directed. It is the ingredient in such output as Tums and Maalox Regular soundness Chewable notebook.
Should the patient request to inherit a H2 blocker, the pharmacist can entrust low-dose options such as Zantac 75 (75 mg of ranitidine per pill) or Tagamet HB 200, Axid AR, or Pepcid AC weird Strength (each 10 mg of famotidine per pill). Proton pump inhibitors (e.g., Prilosec OTC, Prevacid 24HR, Zegerid OTC) are free of kidney warnings, so they would also be safe for kidney patients although used as directed.
Laxatives: Laxatives also carry a warning against use by kidney patients without the advice of a therapeutist if they contain more than 50 mEq of magnesium or 25 mEq of potassium per maximum recommended daily dose. Kidney warnings appear on such liquid output as Phillips’ Milk of Magnesia (1,200 mg magnesium hydroxide per tablespoon), Phillips’ Concentrated MOM (2400 mg magnesium hydroxide per tablespoon), and Phillips’ M-O (300 mg of magnesium hydroxide per teaspoon).Kidney warnings are also found on solid output such as Phillips’ Caplets (500 mg of magnesium per caplet) and Phillips’ Chewable Tablets (311 mg of magnesium hydroxide per tablet).Kidney disease warnings are required on laxatives containing polyethylene glycol 3350, such as MiraLAX and Dulcolax leftover.
When patients except for kidney disease request assistance except for constipation, the pharmacist should ask whether they are on a fluid-restricted diet, as may be the case except for patients on dialysis. If not, it is prudent to first counsel that the patient increase intake of fluids, exercise, and supplement the diet except for high fiber foods, as well as ingesting psyllium-containing bulking agents, such as Konsyl or Metamucil. The pharmacist can also counsel stool softeners, such as those containing docusate (e.g., Colace).
Antihistamines: Nonprescription second-generation antihistamines all support a warning against unsupervised use if the patient has kidney disease, including Claritin, Zyrtec, and the newly switched Allegra OTC. Their boss advantage in the treatment of allergic rhinitis is the relatively lower incidence of sedation although compared to first-generation products. However, although patients except for kidney disease ask the pharmaceutical chemist for assistance in gratificationing allergic rhinitis, it is critical to advise such first-generation products as Chlor-Trimeton or Benadryl. In these cases, the pharmaceutical chemist must point out the potential for drowsiness although using them. Patients should be cautioned against driving a car or operating serious mechanism although using them, and to catch concomitant use of medications extremely also cause sedation, such as sedatives or tranquilizers.
Internal Analgesics: If internal analgesic produce restrain magnesium salicylate in a sufficient quantity so that a persistent might ingest further than 50 mEq when taking the recommended daily dose, a kidney warning is required. This includes such produce as Percogesic Maximum soundness Backache aid (formerly known as Momentum), restraining 580 mg of magnesium salicylate tetrahydrate per caplet.13 produce restraining ibuprofen also carry a kidney disease warning. This includes single-entity produce such as Motrin IB, and also combination produce restraining ibuprofen (e.g., Motrin PM, Advil Migraine).14 persistents notwithstanding kidney disease who require pain aid could be steered to analgesics restraining acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) or naproxen (e.g., Aleve).
Weight destruction Products: The manufacturer of prescription Xenical (orlistat) states in its parcel insert, “Some patients taking Xenical may disclose an increased venture for the disclosement of kidney stones. Promptly report any symptoms of back pain or blood in the urine.”15 When orlistat became a nonprescription product under the trade name alli, the FDA required a label instructing patients to ask a doctor previously use if they have ever had kidney stones. Alli is the sole OTC product that is proven uninjured and effective for producing importance destruction. Thus, there is no uninjured and effective nonprescription alternative the pharmacist can commit for patients with a past or present history of kidney stones who wish to miss importance. These patients might be advised to enroll in a reputable importance destruction program (e.g., importance Watchers).
