Important Steps to Treat Your Heart AND Kidneys

For patients with kidney disease, the contrast dye used for visualization during interventional cardiology procedures can be hard on the kidneys—even causing a serious complication known as Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). To protect CKD patients’ kidneys, and minimize the risk of AKI, professional medical societies recommend a 3-step approach:2

1

SCREEN FOR CKD.

You may have CKD and not know it.

2

HYDRATE.

This may help protect your kidneys during your cath lab procedure.

3

REDUCE CONTRAST DYE.

Reducing the amount of dye delivered to the patient may reduce the risk of AKI.2

If you have or are at risk for kidney disease, your doctor may take special steps to protect your kidneys when you are having an interventional cardiac procedure.

2Levine GN, et al. Circulation. 2011; 124:e574-e651