Acute renal failure: Estimated glomerular filtration rate should be entered on drug charts

doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7574.917-b

BMJ 2006;333:917 (28 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7574.917-b

Letter

Acute renal failure

Estimated glomerular filtration rate should be entered on drug charts

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Hilton's review of the management of acute renalfailure highlights the key issue of preventing this common andcostly complication in hospital, particularly since supportivecare rather than definitive treatment is the most commonly availabletherapeutic strategy.¹

Credit: CNRI/SPL

The estimated glomerular filtration rate should be clearly highlightedon all hospital drug charts in the same way that drug allergiesare documented. With routine reporting of the estimated glomerularfiltration rate, an opportunity now exists to highlight thoseat risk of acute renal failure from an early stage in theiradmission. High risk groups include elderly patients, in whoma normal serum creatinine may represent significantly impairedrenal function, and patients with established chronic renalfailure.

Clear documentation of the estimated glomerular filtration ratewould give medical, nursing, and pharmacy staff every opportunityto avoid prescribing potentially nephrotoxic drugs to patientswith impaired renal function and would also . . . [Full text of this article]

Gavin Dreyer, specialist registrar

Department of Nephrology, North Middlesex University Hospital, London N18 1QX Gavin.Dreyer@nmh.nhs.uk