Nickan Research Institute Journal of Renal Injury Prevention 2345-2781 14 4 2025 12 01 Chronic kidney injury caused by unsupervised and unregulated self-medication of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; a case report and literature review e38419 e38419 10.34172/jrip.2025.38419 EN Suchitra Pal https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1413-3213 Santhna Letchmi Panduragan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4975-4714 Faridah Mohd Said https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0790-9626 Journal Article 10.34172/jrip.2025.38419 2024 11 12 2025 04 26 Self-medication is currently a growing global healthcare concern with varying degree of prevalence. Prolonged unsupervised self-medication can sometimes lead to adverse consequences. Our case report allows an in-depth examination of experience of a patient with unsupervised prolonged self-medication that caused an unfortunate adverse consequence. The case report identifies deficiencies in knowledge and practice concerning medication adherence, with a focus on the prolonged self-medication with analgesics. We are presenting here a case of self-medication and non-adherence to medical advice, which had resulted in chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a young male patient. The patient was admitted with rectal bleeding. Laboratory findings revealed elevated serum creatinine (2 mg/dL) and urine albumin-creatinine ratio of 121.7 mg/g indicating CKD as associated findings. However, the serum potassium was within normal range (4.5 mEq/L). During discharge the above parameters did not changed much (creatinine 1.9 mg/dL and serum potassium 4.7 mEq/L). However, the patient subsequently failed to attend the follow-up clinic at a regular interval. Instead, he continued self-medication with oral diclofenac sodium, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to reduce toothache. The prolonged two years use of NSAIDs for toothache might have led to development of chronic renal failure. The finding from this case study highlights the importance regarding possession of basic knowledge about adherence to safe as well as supervised medication practice, and compliance to follow up.