Painkillers not linked to kidney failure

Moderate use of pain relievers such as aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen does not appear to cause kidney failure in healthy men, as was feared by some. Since 1980, at least eight studies have examined whether pain relievers are associated with various degrees of kidney failure. Two studies found no clear association, but the rest suggested a link, especially between the use of paracetamol and kidney failure. In this latest study, three commonly used pain relievers were studied aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen. They studied about 11,032 men who consumed 500 pills a year for an average of 14 years. No evidence of a link was found between analgesic use and kidney damage even among those who used the maximum number of pills. While more research is needed, these findings provide reassurance to patients that moderate analgesic use is unlikely to contribute to increased risk of renal dysfunction in patients without kidney problems. However this study does not look into two factors whether similar results would be found in patients who take several painkillers daily and in women who require analgesics in conditions such as arthritis and menstrual cramps. This new finding is not yet conclusive because the researchers did not use a series of tests that could have more accurately assessed the progression of kidney disease.