Declining incidence of analgesic nephropathy in Canada

Surveys of nephrologists in Canada indicate that the incidence of analgesic nephropathy has decreased by about 50% in less than a decade in association with the removal of phenacetin from the market and restrictions on the availability analgesic mixtures containing acetaminophen and acetylsalicylic acid. The number of patients presenting with end-stage renal disease attributed to analgesics has shown a similar drop. These decreases have occurred in spite of increased consumption of acetaminophen as a single analgesic. Analgesic nephropathy should not be expected to disappear, however, since there is evidence that the drugs still in use have the potential to cause renal damage.