ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) are the mainstay agents for proteinuria. How effective is adding a statin to reduce proteinuria? Can statins be safely used in the pediatric population? Are statins ever used in children with proteinuria?
—WENDY CARUSO, MSN, APRN-FNP-BC, Southbury, Conn.
Due to their inherent anti-inflammatory action, statins appear to have a mildly beneficial effect on the rate of kidney function decline in patients with hypertension-induced kidney damage. However, care must be taken because high-dose statins have also been shown to produce renal tubular degeneration, thus accelerating proteinuria. There has been very little research on statin use in the pediatric population, and no safety data exist to justify this practice.
—Sherril Sego, MSN, FNP (119-1)
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