Corticosteroids and Diuretics for Nephrotic Syndrome

There are many factors that can affect the prognosis and life expectancy of nephrotic syndrome including infections, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, age, acute renal failure, etc.

To achieve a better prognosis and prolong life expectancy, timely and proper treatments should be received. The aims of these treatments are eliminating underlying causes and inducing factors, alleviating proteinuria and edema, lowering high blood pressure, increasing plasma albumin, decreasing hyperlipidemia, protecting kidney functions and reducing recurrent rate.

Nephrotic syndrome is renal damages caused by deposition of immune complexes and inflammatory reactions in the kidneys, therefore anti-inflammation is very important for alleviating proteinuria, swelling and other clinical symptoms.

Corticosteroids are widely used medicines for treating nephrotic syndrome. These medicines have strong and nonspecific anti-inflammatory effects and they can also regulate biosynthesis and metabolism of sugar, fat and proteins.

Since nephrotic syndrome patients often have edema due to massive proteinuria and low plasma protein, diuretic therapy is very necessary. However, over intake of diuretics can cause insufficient blood volume, thrombosis and electrolyte imbalances. In case of any discomforts or side effects after taking diuretics, report it to the doctor and adjust the amount or change other diuretics.

Long term intake of corticosteroids and diuretics can cause a lot of side effects such as osteoporosis, high blood pressure, hairiness, growth inhibition which are especially unfavorable for young children and adolescents.

One measurement is to add Chinese medicines to corticosteroids and diuretics. Some Chinese medicines have the function of inhibiting immunoreactions, but single use of Chinese medicines is not very proper for severe illness conditions and it usually takes relatively long time to take effects. Therefore the combination of Chinese and western medicines can achieve better curative effects than sole use of hormone or Chinese medicines. Chinese medicines can alleviate the side effects and injuries to the body and some Chinese medicines like astragalus membranaceus can increase albumin synthesis in the liver and alleviate proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia and edema.