Cheap drug protects against CT contrast-induced nephropathy

February 26, 2008 Cheap drug protects against CT contrast-induced nephropathy H. A. Abella -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As the number of patients undergoing contrast-enhanced CT scans grows, so does the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy. What can physicians do to protect their patients from kidney damage? Ask them to pop an N-acetylcysteine pill before the exam, according to a study by University of Michigan Medical School researchers. Contrast-induced nephropathy is the third most common cause of acute renal failure in hospitalized patients. The condition affects about one in 10 patients with normal renal function but could hit almost a third of those with preexisting renal impairment or chronic disease, according to studies published since the mid-1980s.

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