Adapting Clinical and Research Practice to Global Warming

What is it about?

Climate change is presenting us with major challenges, particularly for those with kidney diseases. We hypothesize that common advice to limit salt intake, combined with certain medications, might increase the risk of dehydration in our warming world, possibly leading to more harm to the kidneys. We illustrate this using examples from recent European heatwaves and incidents of chronic kidney disease in hot regions. We also delve into the ways dehydration can damage kidneys at a microscopic level. Unfortunately, current guidelines do not sufficiently consider extreme weather scenarios in managing kidney diseases. Some hospitals are already adapting their practices in response to extreme heat, but we believe that more research and policy changes are needed. We strongly suggest that when we make guidelines or test new treatments, we need to think more about how they can possibly affect our ability to deal with heat. This will help us take better care of those most vulnerable from the impacts of climate change.

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