Facts and fallacies concerning the prevention of contrast medium-induced nephropathy.

Objective: The aim of this article is to extract from recent medical literature and nephrologic practice the facts and fallacies concerning the possible prophylaxis of contrast medium-induced nephropathy.

Data Sources, Study Selection, And Data Extraction: A MEDLINE/PubMed search (1985 to January 2006) was conducted, including all relevant articles investigating the pathogenesis and prevention of contrast medium-induced nephropathy from a nephrologic critical point of view.

Data Synthesis: Considerable efforts have been made to develop pharmacologic therapy for the prevention of contrast medium-induced nephropathy, especially in patients at risk, such as elderly subjects and those with preexisting renal impairment, hypovolemia, or dehydration.

[Etiopathogenesis and clinical aspects of nephrolithiasis--at present].

This paper deals of kidney stones, hard concretions that grow within the urinary tract, 71.5% of which have calcium contents. A high rate of recurrences underscores the importance of medical prevention with a variety of conservative (increased fluid intake and dietary modifications) and drug therapy (potassium citrate, potassium magnesium citrate, thiazides, allopurinol).