Sean Hashmi, MD

You might not think twice about picking up your shirts from the dry cleaner. But the chemical that makes traditional dry cleaning work, tetrachloroethylene (also called perchloroethylene or PCE), has been linked to serious organ damage that most people never see coming. A 2025 study published in Liver International  analyzed data from more than 1,600 US adults and found that people with any measurable PCE in their blood were approximately three times more likely to have significant liver...

If you have chronic kidney disease, or you love someone who does, you have probably heard about SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists. These two drug classes are reshaping how we protect kidneys, and the clinical trial data behind them is striking. But which one should you ask about first? And what role does something as simple as sleep play in kidney protection? Key Takeaways SGLT2 inhibitors (like dapagliflozin) reduced kidney failure risk by 39% in the DAPA-CKD trial, which was...

If you've ever wondered whether you should quit coffee, you're not alone. Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, and the research on its health effects can feel contradictory. The truth is that coffee can protect your heart, kidneys, and brain for many people, but for others it does more harm than good. The difference comes down to your genes, your medications, your health conditions, and even your bedtime. Key Takeaways Your CYP1A2 gene determines whether you...