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Association between kidney stones and major adverse cardiovascular events: a population-based analysis

Ashton Smelser1, Kang Liu2,3, Steven Chi-Ho Leung4

  • 1Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Texas, Dallas, USA.

Urolithiasis
|July 30, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Kidney stones increase the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, particularly stroke and acute myocardial infarction. Female patients with kidney stones also face a higher risk of heart failure.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Nephrology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Kidney stones are a growing health concern.
  • Emerging evidence links kidney stone formation to cardiovascular disease.
  • Understanding this association is crucial for patient risk stratification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between kidney stones and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).
  • To analyze the specific risks of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF), and stroke in patients with kidney stones.
  • To explore potential sex-based differences in cardiovascular risk associated with kidney stones.

Main Methods:

  • A multicenter retrospective study design.
  • Inclusion of 6,660 patients with newly diagnosed kidney stones (KS group) and 19,980 controls (NKS group) from 2013-2017.
  • Multivariable Cox regression analysis to assess relative risks.

Main Results:

  • Kidney stone history was significantly associated with MACE risk (aOR: 1.20).
  • Kidney stone formers showed increased risk for stroke (aHR: 1.21) and AMI (aHR: 1.57).
  • No significant association was found for heart failure overall, but females with kidney stones had higher HF risk (aHR: 1.46).

Conclusions:

  • Kidney stones are linked to an elevated risk of stroke and acute myocardial infarction.
  • The association between kidney stones and heart failure risk is primarily observed in female patients.
  • These findings highlight the importance of considering cardiovascular risk in individuals with kidney stones.

Keywords:
Heart failureKidney stonesMACEMyocardial infarctionStroke

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