[The patient with chronic renal failure].

Reduced renal function probably affects more people than is known. While there are "only" 66,000 dialysis patients in germany, there are few data on the prevalence of less severe renal failure. Renal failure is becoming a problem of the elderly. The highest rates in dialysis patients are reported for people above 65. In the elderly, the two most important causes of renal failure (type II diabetes and hypertension) are present in great numbers. Therapy of terminal renal failure consists of hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis or kidney transplantation. Before reaching dialysis, the therapy concentrates on correction of calcium-phosphate balance, acidosis, anemia and hypertension. Because many drugs are eliminated via the kidney, the knowledge of renal function is of eminent importance for the pharmacist.