Pain killers, commonly known as analgesics, help to relieve pain. For most people, pain killers aren’t dangerous when taken at the recommended dosage. But if you take one too many, you could harm your body. Analgesic nephropathy is a chronic kidney disease that can lead to irreversible kidney failure and the permanent need for dialysis, or a kidney transplant to restore kidney function.
It’s estimated that about four out of every 100 000 people will develop analgesic nephropathy. Women older than 30 are most at risk.
What causes analgesic nephropathy?