Treatment Options

The decision to prescribe a medication is the responsibility of your physician/primary care provider based on his/her evaluation of your condition. The below is meant for informational purposes only. Discuss this information and all information about drugs/medications with your physician before starting OR stopping any medication.

The short-term goal of treatment is to stop protein spillage completely (known as remission) or lower the amount of protein lost in the urine as much as possible. The less protein lost in the urine, the better the patient will do.

The long-term goals of treatment include preventing relapses of protein in the urine and preventing the deterioration of kidney function.

Treatment Information

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the following treatment options:

• Prednisone
• Acthar
• Rituximab (rituxan)
• Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
• Mycophenalate Mofetil (CellCept, Myfortic)
• ACE Inhibitors
• Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs)
• Cyclosporine
• Tacrolimus (Prograf)
• Sirolimus (Rapamycin, Rapamune)
• Liposorber LA-15®
• Avenues for Genetic Testing
• Clinical Trials
• Precision Medicine

The decision to change or stop current medication is usually based on the following considerations:

• Complete remission – partial remission: proteinuria less than 3.5g
• Permanent vs. temporary
• Recurrence (relapse)
• Steroid-sensitive: patient experiences reduced protein loss in urine
• Steroid-dependent: patient experiences reduced protein loss in urine, but cannot go off the medication without relapsing
• No response
• Trial of other medications will begin
• Kidney function deterioration