Global warming may increase kidney stones: researchers
More Americans are likely to suffer from kidney stones in the coming years as a result of global warming, according to researchers at the University of Texas.
Kidney stones, which are formed from dissolved minerals in the urine and can be extremely painful, are often caused by caused by dehydration, either by not drinking enough liquid or losing too much due to high heat conditions.
If global warming trends continue as projected by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2007, the United States can expect as much as a 30 percent growth in kidney stone disease in some of its driest areas, said the findings published in Monday's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The increased incidence of disease would represent between 1.6 million and 2.2 million cases by 2050, costing the US economy as much as one billion dollars in treatment costs.
"This study is one of the first examples of global warming causing a direct medical consequence for humans," said Margaret Pearle, professor of urology at University of Texas Southwestern and senior author of the paper.
I'm proof the whole glowball warming thing has peaked and is over then. I had a big stone heart shaped 7mm blasted the summer of 2000 in my left kidney. Then in 2004 I had not 1 but 3 in the same kidney.
1 was 13, yes 13 millimeters and the other 2 were 10mm. Those took 2 tries and 6 weeks with a stent up Mr Happy to take care of. :o (all this during the hurricanes of '04) I haven't had a problem since then Thank God. Thus glowball warming is now over.
Hide me I'm a national treasure. :-) :rotf:
I'm proof the whole glowball warming thing has peaked and is over then. I had a big stone heart shaped 7mm blasted the summer of 2000 in my left kidney. Then in 2004 I had not 1 but 3 in the same kidney.
1 was 13, yes 13 millimeters and the other 2 were 10mm. Those took 2 tries and 6 weeks with a stent up Mr Happy to take care of. :o (all this during the hurricanes of '04) I haven't had a problem since then Thank God. Thus glowball warming is now over.
Hide me I'm a national treasure. :-) :rotf:
We can't drink ourselves out of this dehydration mess!
We can't drink ourselves out of this dehydration mess!