After analyzing the data of more than 240,000 participants, a history of kidney stones (as known by their medical alias nephrolithiasis) was found to be associated with a significant increase in coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. And here’s the kicker: It was only in women—not men. “Previous studies have indicated that they might be associated with other systemic disorders such as high blood pressure, diabetes or gout,” says lead researcher Pietro Manuel Ferraro, MD, of Columbus-Gemelli Hospital, Rome. “We observed that women with a history of kidney stones may be at a greater risk of developing coronary heart disease independent of other cardiovascular risk factors.” Dr. Ferraro says that kidney stones are very common, with about one in every 10 persons experiencing at least one episode. While researchers can’t say conclusively why this gender difference exists, Dr. Ferraro notes that hormonal differences might be a potential explanation. “Another mechanism might be related to the known differences in calcium metabolism between men and women,” says Dr. Ferraro. “Calcium is one of the main components of kidney stones and also part of the atherosclerotic plaque that is often the culprit in coronary heart disease.” Gary C. Curhan, MD, a study co-author and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, says further research into both the gender difference and how kidney stones and CHD are linked may help doctors further identify prevention techniques for cardiac diseases in women. However, Dr. Curhan stresses that not having kidney stones doesn’t mean can ignore your overall heart health or that you aren’t at risk for CHD. “There are many other factors in heart disease and everyone should live a healthy lifestyle to reduce their risk,” says Dr. Curhan. “Ultimately, that’s probably more important than anything.” As a best-case scenario, this study and the follow up research may be an incentive for doctors to think about looking beyond kidney stones to other issues that may be related, since both Drs. Curhan and Ferraro note that kidney stones may become apparent before CHD symptoms. “If this tips the balance to alert the doctor that there may be something else going on, and leads to earlier diagnosis and treatment, that’s a good outcome,” says Dr. Curhan. More from Prevention: The Hearty Benefits of Beer 3 Killer Diseases, One Weapon Your DailyHeart AttackRisk Factor
