QUESTION: I am a 22-year-old man. My father has had dozens of kidney stones in recent years. I've always been concerned if I will follow in his path. I'm wondering if kidney stones are genetic and if there is anything I can do to prevent kidney stones.
ANSWER: in general, People who have an immediate family member with kidney stones are more likely to develop kidney stones than those who don't. Still, several lifestyle factors besides your genes can lower or raise your risk of kidney stones.
Some genetic conditions associated with kidney stones are usually diagnosed in early lifetimes, such as primary hyperoxaluria, nephrocalcinosis or cystinuria. A good news is ,If you don't have a history of significant systematic diseases, it means that you don't have any of those conditions associated with renal stones. Moreover, we often observe a kind of idiopathic hypercalciuria as the main cause of kidney stones. So, in this situation, if your father has kidney stones and hasn't been diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism or other significant metabolic syndrome, he probably has renal stones due to idiopathic hypercalciuria. Based on this assumption, you will not necessarily have kidney stones in the future, provided you consult your doctor and follow a healthy diet and lifestyle.
A diet high in protein or salt or excessive oxalate increases the risk of kidney stones. Normal calcium intake in the diet may help prevent stones, while excessive calcium or using calcium supplements may promote stone formation. A lot of water intake and regular exercise are other preventive measures.
In families with renal stones, usually, comprehensive screening for stone detection in asymptomatic family members is not recommended. However, you can consult your doctor for a routine check-up if you are excessively preoccupied with this issue. Your doctor can discuss potential risks, prevention strategies, or paraclinical investigations if needed. . Blood testing, A 24-hour urine for nephrolithiasis prevention analysis, and an abdominal ultrasound are among the best tools to identify kidney stone risk factors that are amenable to dietary or medical therapy. A blood test can identify the excess of calcium, acid uric or deficiency of phosphate or citrate. 24-hour urine can identify hypercalciuria, renal tubular acidosis, renal phosphate leak, cystinuria, hyperoxaluria, and hypocitraturia. Finally, ultrasound can detect asymptomatic stones as small as 2 mm.
The role of your healthcare provider is to identify your treatable risk factors and provide effective dietary advice, medications, and supplements that will reduce your future stone risk—at the same time, helping you to overcome your unnecessary fear and anxiety about having a kidney stone in the future.
The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes.
Comentarios