Prevention Strategies of Contrast Medium Induced Nephropathy (CIN): A Review of the Current Literature

Contrast medium induced nephropathy is the third most common cause of renal failure for inpatients and represents the 10% of all acute kidney injury occurring during hospital-stay. It is associated with prolonged hospitalization, cost increase and, above all, an unfavourable short- and long-term prognosis. Here, the authors discuss about the contrast medium induced nephropathy prevention strategies, from the identification of patients at risk and drugs potentially nephrotoxic, to the hydration with possible administration of drugs that appeared to be, in some contexts, nephron-protective, and finally we analyze the radiological procedure aimed at the correct choice of type and administration modality of the contrast medium according to current literature.