Renal failure – A side-effect of Lisinopril treatment
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Dear Ask The Doctor: Good Morning. I have been having a pain in my lower back on the right side for over a week. I have a very soft bed. I take Lisinopril for high BP. It is a dull to moderate pain and is not tender to the touch. It seems to be worse when I am sleeping, but continues throughout the day. It is not bad enough that it makes me wince when I move, but you can tell it is there. The is no blood in my urine and is does not hurt to urinate. I have not done anything out of the ordinary daily routine. I read something online about Lisinopril being a possible cause of kidney problems, not to mention other symtoms. Could this be the cause? And should I abruptly stop taking this medication? My doctor is over 200 miles from my house as I have just moved to a new area and have not found a replacement yet.
Dear Rick: Lisinopril has the potential to precipitate acute renal failure and a high potassium level in the blood, among other side-effects. This usually occurs when the medication is initiated but can also occur if there is additional stress on the body i.e. infection. The pain you describe may be originating from your kidney; it also could be musculo-skeletal pain. I would advise registering with another family doctor in your area. I would not advise abruptly stopping this medication, without seeing your doctor first. He can carry out a urine dipstick and check some routine blood tests including kidney function tests. If your symptoms do not improve or if you have difficulty passing urine, the urine is dark, or you develop signs of infection such as fever, chills I would advise attending your doctor urgently or the local emergency room. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 09 March 2010 )
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