Education and Impact: Climate Change and Elderly Health
There are a few things that I appreciate my patients for, but chief among them are the stories of what was before. Recently, a patient mentioned a local sledding spot in nearby Kettering, OH. There used to be enough snowfall to bring out my patient’s cross-country skis. Years later, the skis are lost in the garage, collecting dust. My patient’s lament touched on something increasingly undeniable: the climate is changing.
Climate Change: Effects of Heat and Wildfire Smoke on Cardiovascular Disease
In 2022 there were 1,714 heat-related deaths in the United States. By 2023, the number of heat-related deaths grew to 2,300. To date, 2024 has been one of the hottest years on record and this will likely result in even more deaths.
"We Have Met the Enemy and He is Us" was originally published by Walt Kelly in 1970 for Earth Day. The echoes of his concern for and vision of the future remain just as true today, if not more so. I truly don’t remember when the accuracy of Mr. Kelly’s cartoon registered with me as prescient, but it now resonates with me almost daily as I think about the future we are leaving to our children, grandchildren, and future generations.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the fastest growing noncommunicable disease in the western world afflicting 1 in 7 adults (14%). Climate and environmental changes are linked in most cases. Much of this is due to obesity related illnesses which the kidneys are a key target such as with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Increasing temperatures and pollution, especially with the inhalation of fine particulate matter (PM2.5 µm), have been linked to obesity and other inflammatory associated conditions.
Climate Change and the Effects on the Pulmonary System of Humans
Several different climate effects on the human pulmonary system are known and suspected to occur especially should we surpass 1.5C° of warming above the global average since 1850.
Classically, nephrology isn’t about much more than problems of water and salt. The FFS part of nephrology is not so different than any other subspecialty. Except…
Dialysis. Let’s face it, dialysis is what separates nephrology from the rest. This is about dialysis for ESRD, or as it is now called ESKD.
March is Women’s Health Month. Understanding the unique effects of climate change on gender can help improve gender-based solutions to climate health equity.
Environmental Justice, Health Equity, and Climate Change
February is Black History Month. Environmental justice will be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards, and equal access to the decision-making process to live, learn, and work in a healthy environment.
2023 was the warmest year on record in the United States and abroad. Climate change is already exacerbating existing health problems and leading to the emergence of new health threats.
