[Review of the radiocontrast nephropathy risk profiles and risk stratification]

Because of the increasing use of radiocontrast agents, radiocontrast-induced nephropathy has become an important cause of iatrogenic acute renal impairment. This necessitates physician awareness of radiocontrast nephropathy, a disorder, which develops as a result of exposure to contrast agents. Radiocontrast-induced nephropathy causes significant morbidity and mortality and increase in hospital length of stay and costs. It can be minimized by the identification of patients with risk factors before the procedure. The risk factors are synergistic, and the most important major risk factors for the development of radiocontrast-induced nephropathy are the presence of pre-existing renal impairment and diabetes mellitus. We discussed the risk factors of contrast media induced nephropathy in this review.