Online CPR Certification Blog
Kidney and Heart Diseases
Date: February 22nd, 2013
Bisphenol A is a plastic chemical that is mostly present in consumer products especially food cans where it is widely used as internal aluminum coverage. The negative role of BPA in the body is that it tends to disrupt the normal metabolic activities.
What the research involved and the resultant findings
To better understand the primary cause of heart conditions and kidney damage as linked to the BPA, researchers gathered data from 700 children between 2009-2010 on the US national health and nutrition examination survey. The overall study comprised of children and teens of whom were aged between the years of 6 and 19 respectively. The study was carried out by researchers from the New York school of medicine where their primary objective was to identify the connection between albumin in the urine and possibilities of kidney damage. It is possible that victims could be suffering from kidney damage or heart diseases due to other causes, but when the test on urine depicts the presence of albumin, the cause could be linked to increased BPA levels.
The data collected from the candidates included BPA levels and the albumin protein that was evident in their urines. The point is that whenever there is any trace of albumin in the urine, it could suggest that the victim was probably suffering from kidney damage but in addition to the overall findings, it was further reported that children and teenagers that depicted increased levels of BPA in their urines also showed increased ratios of albumin-to-creatinine. The comparison was sidelined to that of those children that depicted lower levels of albumin. The entire results were aimed to create awareness on impact increase in albumin to creatinine ratio would have on the victim. This is because when such is evident, he or she could be suffering from kidney damage or even become a potential victim of heart disease in the near future.
What was the role of the research study on BPA exposure?
Dr. Leornado Trasande, who is an author and associate professor of pediatrics and environmental medicine in a news release elaborated that the new data had clear evidence on the risk factors of higher levels of BPA with regards to cardiovascular diseases in children. Therefore, the data should provoke the government and manufacturing companies to work hand in hand to see that the condition is eradicated. The point is that removing the plastic chemical from the aluminum food cans could be the starting point towards heart and kidney disease-free children especially on those conditions associated with the increased BPA. While the study identified an association between BPA exposure and organ damage, there was no evidence on the causes.