A Unique Case of Drug Interaction between Ticagrelor and Statin Leading to Acute Renal Failure.

Dual antiplatelet agents and high-intensity statins are frequently used in combination after myocardial infarction. Ticagrelor has the potential of causing acute kidney injury. Rosuvastatin is excreted through the kidneys and dose adjustment is needed in patients with kidney disease. When used in combination, they can potentiate the toxic effects of each other. We report a case of drug interaction between rosuvastatin and ticagrelor resulting in rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure necessitating dialysis. This case stresses the importance of monitoring renal function and adjusting the dose of rosuvastatin accordingly in patients with kidney disease.

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury in interventional cardiology: Emerging evidence and unifying mechanisms of protection by remote ischemic conditioning.

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a common complication of many diagnostic and therapeutic cardiovascular procedures. It is associated with longer in-hospital stay, more complicated hospitalization course, and higher in-hospital morbidity and mortality. With increasing use of contrast media in various diagnostic and interventional procedures, the prevalence of CI-AKI is expected to rise. Although pre-hydration with intravenous normal saline is recommended in patients with elevated risk of CI-AKI, this approach is often not feasible in many clinical settings. Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC), elicited by application of one or more, brief, non-injurious episodes of ischemia and reperfusion of a limb, is a promising therapy for preventing or attenuating the deleterious effects of contrast media on the kidney. Although the mechanisms of protection by RIC have not been completely defined, complex humoral, neural, and inflammatory pathways have been hypothesized to be in play. Given that RIC is non-invasive and cheap, it is attractive from clinical and economic perspective as a therapy to protect the kidney from CI-AKI. In this succinct review, we highlight the unifying mechanisms of CI-AKI and provide an overview of proposed biological mechanisms of renal protection by RIC. Emerging pre-clinical and clinical evidence in interventional cardiology is also discussed.