Prevention of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy

Patients with pre-existing kidney disease are at high risk of acute renal failure when exposed to radio-contrast dyes, for example during a cardiac angiogram. We hypothesize that an infusion of saline + furosemide + mannitol will reduce rates of contrast-induced nephropathy when compared with saline infusion controls. We define an episode of contrast nephropathy using the conventional often published definition of a 25% relative increase in serum creatinine OR a 44 umol absolute increase in serum creatinine within 48 hours of contrast exposure.