Categories: Nephrology

How can Kidney Stones (Nephrolithiasis) be Prevented?

  • Adequate fluid intake (>2 Litres/day)
  • Decrease salt intake to less than 2300 mg/day
  • Minimize Oxalate intake (for patients with calcium Oxalate stones)
  • Minimize animal protein intake (reducing animal protein intake has shown to reduce kidney stone risk in only men)
  • Increase fruit and vegetable consumption (increase in potassium has been shown to reduce stone formation especially in older men and women)

Why not reduce calcium intake? It can adversely affect bone density, especially in patients at risk of osteoporosis including women and the elderly. Reducing calcium intake can also increase the stone risk by increasing the calcium Oxalate content.

REFERENCES

  1.  Taylor EN, Curhan GC. Diet and fluid prescription in stone disease. Kidney Int 2006; 70:835.
  2. Curhan GC, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Stampfer MJ. A prospective study of dietary calcium and other nutrients and the risk of symptomatic kidney stones. N Engl J Med 1993; 328:833.
  3. Meschi T, Maggiore U, Fiaccadori E, et al. The effect of fruits and vegetables on urinary stone risk factors. Kidney Int 2004; 66:2402.
Get Medical Pearls directly to your inbox every week!
Weekly posts with high yield medical knowledge, directly to your mailbox!
Dr. C Humphreys

Internal Medicine

Recent Posts

Obstructive sleep apnea & Polycythemia: Mechanism

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is thought to lead to secondary polycythemia due to intermittent hypoxia,…

4 hours ago

Pale Stool, Dark Urine & Biliary Obstruction: Mechanism

Catabolism of hemoglobin leads to the release of heme, which converts to biliverdin and then…

5 hours ago

Why is Tongue Scalloping seen with Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Tongue scalloping refers to the series of indentations along the sides of the tongue that…

1 month ago

Older Age and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): Mechanism

Older age is recognized as a risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea.[1] But why? Suspected…

6 months ago

How does Weight Affect Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): Mechanism

Being overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2)/Obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) is one of the most…

6 months ago

Nocturia and OSA: Mechanism

Nocturia is a common symptom associated with obstructive sleep apnea. [1] Img Cred: Am J…

2 years ago

This website uses cookies.