If global warming has its way, the incidence of kidney stones may begin to escalate, according to a new study. Kidney stone incidence is actually higher in warmer parts of the US, especially in the southeast, presumably due to higher rates of dehydration. This phenomenon can be observed in people who move from mild to hot climates, as seen in military deployments to the Middle East. Why does this occur? Kidney stones form from minerals dissolved in urine. When dehydration occurs, lower urine volume leads to greater concentrations of these minerals and increases the risk of stone formation. Full story.
Tags: dehydration, global warming, kidney stones
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
July 17th, 2008 at 10:01 am
What global warming?
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:02 pm