Neephrolithiasis Essay

828 Words2 Pages

Chelsea Simon
Nephrolithiasis

Nephrolithiasis, more commonly known as kidney stones, is a common renal disease characterized by crystal depositions in the kidney as a result of urinary supersaturation. There are several types of stones, such as uric acid, cystine, and struvite stones, but calcium stones are the most common.
Nephrolithiasis or kidney stone formation is a common form of renal disease characterized by crystal deposition in the renal medulla as a result of urinary supersaturation (Worcester and Coe 2009). It is the second most common kidney condition, and kidney stones affect approximately 6-12% of the United States population with the most affected subpopulation being Caucasian males. Nephrolithiasis is considered a systemic disorder that is associated with chronic kidney disease, an increased risk of coronary artery disease, bone loss and fractures, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (Sakhaee et al. 2012).
A kidney stone or crystal forms when the urine is supersaturated in regard to a stone forming material, meaning the urine contains a higher concentration of stone material than it can dissolve. There are several factors that can contribute to supersaturation, such as urine volume, pH, and the amount of solute excretion (Worcester and Coe 2009). There are numerous types of stones that can form depending on what material in the urine is in excess. The most common types of stones are calcium kidney stones with calcium oxalate (CaOx) causing 80% of all calcium stones and calcium phosphate (CaP) causing 15% of calcium stones (Sakhaee et al. 2012). Calcium oxalate stones are usually found in patients as white deposits on their papillae, or Randall’s plaques. The stone begins as a deposit of calciu...

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... these components, decreases the recurrence rate. In addition to dietary elements, kidney stone formation increases with hot climates and severe exercise because renal fluid is loss with perspiration leading to a decrease in urine volume. Overall, nephrolithiasis is a major health and economic burden that is increasing in prevalence, especially in the United States; therefore, it is important to understand how to treat and prevent the formation of kidney stones (Sakhaee et al. 2012).

Works Cited
Kahn SR and Glenton PA (2010). Of Mice and Men: Experimental Induction of Calcium
Oxalate Nephrolithiasis in Mice. J Urol 184: 1189-1196.
Sakhaee K, Maalouf NM, and Sinnot B (2012). Kidney Stones 2012: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Management. J Clin endocrinol Metab 97: 1847-1860.
Worcester EM and Coe FL (2008). Nephrolithiasis. Prim Care 35: 369-391.

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