Even today, a huge unmet need exists for medicines that can reduce the progression of the disease and enhance outcomes in chronic kidney disease, which is a serious public health concern. Despite every person with reduced kidney function being on medication, no one medication can still be used to treat chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Your doctor may recommend kidney failure medications to help manage and avoid any health issues associated with CKD. You may need to take medication to treat or stop the CKD-related various problems because it is possible to prevent further kidney damage by controlling or avoiding specific health issues.
In this blog, you’ll learn about the medications used to improve kidney function and help you live longer.
Kidney Failure Medications
Medication can aid in stopping or slowing the progression of chronic kidney disease and avoiding its side effects (complications), as you need healthy kidneys to maintain your well-being. Your overall health status can be enhanced by actively managing your chronic kidney disease (CKD).
When you have CKD, your kidneys cannot filter the blood as well as they should, which can cause heart disease, stroke, and other health issues. A person with chronic renal disease will have different medication options depending on their own risk of problems and any underlying medical issues they may have.
Although there isn’t a medication specifically for CKD, it can assist in managing many of the issues contributing to the condition and its potential complications. Some of the kidney failure medications are:
1. High blood pressure medications
To protect the kidneys, blood pressure must be kept under control. High blood pressure can get worse in kidney disease patients. If a person has chronic renal disease, the choice of whether to lower blood pressure levels will rely on the following:
- How much protein is in their urine(albumin level)
- Whether they have diabetes
- How high their blood pressure is (when left untreated)
Blood pressure should typically be below 140/90mmHg in people with renal disease. You may require frequent blood tests to track your status because high blood pressure drugs have the potential to affect electrolyte levels and initially reduce kidney function.
Doctors frequently prescribe angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers to decrease blood pressure and protect kidney function. Some of these include:
- Ramipril
- Enalapril
- Lisinopril
2. Medicines that reduce cholesterol
People with CKD are more expected to get heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases. To lower your cholesterol and lower your chance of getting cardiovascular disease, your doctor may advise taking drugs called statins. These include:
- Atorvastatin
- Simvastatin
According to studies, people with chronic renal disease who may not yet require dialysis may also experience this. Therefore, it is frequently suggested that these persons begin taking statins. In most cases, they will continue taking statins even if dialysis is ultimately required.
3. Medications to treat water retention
Fluid retention is common in those who have chronic renal disease. Your ankles, feet, and hands may swell if you suffer from kidney disease. This is due to your kidneys’ decreased ability to remove fluid from your blood, which causes it to accumulate in bodily tissues.
To help with the swelling, it might be suggested that you reduce your regular salt and fluid intake, especially liquids included in foods like soups and yogurt. The fluid equilibrium in your body can be preserved with the help of medications referred to as diuretics.
4. Medication for high potassium levels
Your doctor may advise calcium, glucose, or sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kionex) to avoid the buildup of high potassium levels in your blood if your kidneys aren’t effectively filtering potassium from your blood.
The bottom line
Many people wonder, can medication improve kidney function? So, yes, some medications can improve kidney function, but there is no specific medication to treat chronic renal disease. (CKD). However, Your doctor may recommend kidney failure medications to help prevent and manage CKD-related health problems.
High blood pressure medications (ACE inhibitors) and diuretics, which may slow the loss of kidney function and delay kidney failure, are some of the most often prescribed drugs to improve kidney failure.
