Southwestern internal medicine conference: Analgesic nephropathy

Analgesic nephropathy has been a recognized clinical problem for the past three decades. The association between chronic renal insufficiency and habitual analgesic consumption initially focused on combination analgesics containing phenacetin. Most recently, the increased popularity of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs has led to the recognition that these agents are capable of producing several distinct clinical syndromes. This review discusses both of these disorders from a clinical perspective.