# How does ibuprofin damage the kidneys

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ibuprofin-damage-the-kidneys/305362
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 25, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ibuprofin-damage-the-kidneys/305362 "2005-05-25T00:08:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ibuprofin-damage-the-kidneys/305362/1 "2005-05-25T00:08:14Z")

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With rfgdxm’s problem of acute renal failure and ibuprofin I am wondering why large doses of analgesics damages the kidneys. What happens to the kidneys and is the damage long term or short term.

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### Author: ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2005, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ibuprofin-damage-the-kidneys/305362/2 "2005-05-25T00:13:57Z")

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> [@Wesley Clark](#):
>
> With rfgdxm’s problem of acute renal failure and ibuprofin I am wondering why large doses of analgesics damages the kidneys. What happens to the kidneys and is the damage long term or short term.

Ibuprofen is a member of a class of drugs called NSAIDs. NSAIDS decrease synthesis of renal prostaglandins. Prostaglandins vasodilate renal vessels. NSAIDs therefore reduce renal blood flow. Kidneys need blood to live. If the flow drops too low, the kidneys are injured, and can die.

That’s it in a nutshell. For the full story, google NSAIDS Nephrotoxicity

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### Author: ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2005, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ibuprofin-damage-the-kidneys/305362/3 "2005-05-25T00:42:55Z")

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(The big problem with a QtM post early in a thread is how severely it narrows the scope for uninformed speculation, rumor, hearsay, etc.)

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### Author: ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2005, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ibuprofin-damage-the-kidneys/305362/4 "2005-05-25T08:20:32Z")

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> [@Xema](#):
>
> (The big problem with a QtM post early in a thread is how severely it narrows the scope for uninformed speculation, rumor, hearsay, etc.)

On the upside, it provides an excuse to get lost in a research project.