Many medicines can cause acute kidney injury, also called acute renal failure. So guys you have to be careful with certain medications. Read and follow all instructions on the label. This means anything you take with or without a prescription. 

If you are treating infection, please always ask the doctor or pharmacist or nurse for medications they are giving you, especially when you don’t have access to the leaflet. This is super important!

Examples of medications that can cause acute renal failure include: 
1. Antibiotics, such as aminoglycosides, cephalosporins, amphotericin B, bacitracin, and vancomycin. A lot of times many people tell us they use gentamicin injection for treating STI’s. I am pretty sure that over 90% of people who have treated STI at any time and reading this post have used it. It’s the most commonly used, but using it all the time can be very harmful. I have seen people who came down with renal failure after using gentamicin for a long time. 

2. Blood pressure medicines called ACE inhibitors (such as lisinopril and ramipril) and angiotensin receptor blockers (such as candesartan and valsartan).

3. Medicines used for cancer treatment (chemotherapy), such as cisplatin, carboplatin, and methotrexate.

4. Dyes (contrast media) used in medical imaging tests.

5. Illegal drugs, such as heroin and methamphetamine.

6. Medicines used to treat HIV (protease inhibitors), such as indinavir and ritonavir.

7. Painkillers such as ibuprofen, ketoprofen, or naproxen.

8. Ulcer medicines, such as cimetidine.

Other chemicals, such as insecticides, herbicides, and ethylene glycol, can also cause acute kidney injury.