Although it might not sound like a deadly condition, constipation may lead to kidney disease if not treated properly. That's the shocking revelation of a new study that looked into the association between both conditions.
In a report on Friday, Medical News Today cited data from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), which shows that about 42 million Americans suffer from constipation. It is most common among female and/or elderly patients, and about 30 percent of all people may expect the condition to strike at least once in their lives. About 2.5 million patients in the U.S. end up seeing a doctor each year, though patients very seldom ever suffer from complications. Even then, there can be severe consequences for those who ignore their chronic constipation.
Years after an earlier study linked severe constipation to cardiovascular disease in women, the new study looked at the possible association between constipation and kidney disease. Records belonging to about 3.5 million American veterans were analyzed for purposes of the study, with the patients first receiving medical checkups in 2004 and 2006. They were then followed and observed through 2013.
