Wilson's Heart: amantadine binds to proteins in the kidney

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the medical implications of amantadine toxicity as depicted in the television show "House." In the episode, Amber's kidneys fail to filter amantadine, leading to its binding to kidney proteins and resulting in toxicity. The characters consider various interventions, including dialysis and organ transplants, but conclude that Amber's multi-organ damage precludes her from qualifying for a transplant. This highlights the critical nature of kidney function in drug clearance and the complexities of organ transplantation in severely compromised patients.

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  • Familiarity with organ transplantation criteria and processes
  • Basic concepts of dialysis and its role in treating kidney failure
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  • Research the pharmacokinetics of amantadine and its renal clearance mechanisms
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Medical students, healthcare professionals, and anyone interested in the pharmacological effects of drugs on kidney function and the complexities of organ transplantation.

ekdromos
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I was watching the Last episode of House for season 4 a few months back, where Amber receives damage to her kidneys making them unable to adequately filter out amantadine she took for a flu. They put her on dialysis and had her cryogenically frozen in an attempt to buy them more time for a proper diagnosis. House later states when unfiltered, amantadine binds to proteins in the kidneys becoming poisonous, and that there was nothing they could do

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cNo5NlxP_I"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson%27s_Heart"

My question is fairly simple, and that is couldn’t they have just given her a kidney transplant and blood transfusions?
 
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ekdromos said:
I was watching the Last episode of House for season 4 a few months back, where Amber receives damage to her kidneys making them unable to adequately filter out amantadine she took for a flu.
My question is fairly simple, and that is couldn’t they have just given her a kidney transplant and blood transfusions?

Well, after House seized and Foreman was talking the other fellows, Kutner asked if Amber could receive a heart transplant. Foreman responded that all Amber's other organs had been too damaged and she would never qualify it. I'm assuming that the same facts would eliminate a transplant of any of the other organs. Hth,