September 1, 2024
Cardiovascular disease (CVD), chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) are among the most common chronic diseases present in the United States1 and represent 3 of the top 10 leading causes of death.2 These conditions, along with metabolic conditions more broadly, have a significant impact on individual patients as well as on the healthcare system as a whole; furthermore, the prevalence of these conditions is anticipated to increase over the next several decades,3 making the identification and management of these conditions a public health priority. Historically, these conditions have been conceptualized and treated as siloed entities, with each condition being addressed individually. There is increasing appreciation that these common health conditions are closely interconnected from a pathophysiological standpoint and should be approached and treated using a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to achieve optimal patient outcomes. In 2023, the American Heart Association (AHA) issued a scientific statement formally defining the constellation of conditions encompassing CVD, CKD and more broadly, metabolic disease (including diabetes) as cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome and providing recommendations for the clinical management of patients with CKM.4 Both early detection and timely intervention are key to improving health outcomes for patients with CKM syndrome. The primary care team is uniquely positioned to aid in the identification, treatment and monitoring of this recently recognized syndrome.
