Some common household medications may be bad for your kidneys

BOSTON — Some common household medications may be bad for your kidneys. 

A lot of people assume that if a medication is sold over the counter, it's completely safe to take. But some drugs sold without a prescription can have significant side effects, and even harm your kidneys, depending on your underlying health.  

One example is the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs which are used to treat pain and fever.  These include aspirin, ibuprofen found in Motrin and Advil, and naproxen found in Aleve. 

Some prescription medications can also pose a risk. 

Certain drugs used to treat high blood pressure, depression, and antibiotics like penicillin can lead to kidney damage in rare cases.  

So if you have underlying kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about whether there are certain medications you should avoid.