Acute Renal Failure

Medications

You may be given medicines to treat the underlying cause of your acute renal failure or to prevent complications. For instance, you may take antibiotics to prevent or treat infections, and you may take other medicines to get rid of extra fluid and prevent electrolyte imbalances, which can be dangerous. Your doctor may adjust the dose of your medicines so that they work well for you.

Diuretic medications, such as Lasix, have traditionally been used to treat acute renal failure because they quickly increase urine output. But many experts now feel that they may not be helpful and may actually be harmful to people who are very ill.⁴ Depending on the cause and severity of your acute renal failure, your doctor may choose another method to get rid of extra fluids.

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Author:	Robin Parks, MS	Last Updated: June 14, 2007
Medical Review:	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine D.C. Mendelssohn, MD, FRCPC - Nephrology
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