Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health
Living with Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome
Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome is a health disorder due to connections among heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and obesity leading to poor health outcomes. 1 in 3 US adults have 3 or more risk factors leading to CKM syndrome.* Groundbreaking new therapies exist, but many patients experience fragmented care. The American Heart Association is committed to improving outcomes for CKM patients, placing each person’s needs at the center of treatment.
*Risk factors are elevated weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, and triglycerides, which lead to cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and kidney disease – AHA 2023 Statistical Update
American Heart Association Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health Initiative
More than 89 million adults in the U.S. are at risk for or are living with cardio metabolic disease. Recent science shows that cardio kidney disease and cardiometabolic disease are interrelated, suggesting they should be viewed together as cardio kidney metabolic disease. A holistic, person-centered approach to cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome is essential, as it aligns guidelines with real-life experiences of patients and healthcare professionals. Controlling four of Life’s Essential 8 — weight, blood pressure, lipids, and blood glucose — improves cardiovascular health and reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, metabolic disorders, and kidney disease.
The Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health Initiative is made possible by the American Heart Association and founding sponsors, Novo Nordisk and Boehringer Ingelheim.
Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health Initiative Goals (Launched July 2024):
- Reach 265,000 patients across 150 health care organizations in 15 markets.
- Integrate CKMH metrics into existing Get With The Guidelines® and outpatient data registries.
- Develop a scalable, patient-centered certification framework.
- Establish a CKM recognition program for providers and health systems.
- Increase screening for social determinants of health and incorporate community health workers and social workers into care teams.
The Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health Initiative is sponsored by Novo Nordisk and Boehringer Ingelheim.
Predicting Risk of cardiovascular disease EVENTs (PREVENT™)
Experts have unveiled a new tool to predict a person's long-term risk of cardiovascular disease, one that includes broader measures of health and provides sex-specific results but leaves out considerations of race. The PREVENT™ calculator aims to help clinicians implement risk assessment for cardiovascular disease and facilitate clinician-patient discussion to optimize prevention for cardiovascular disease, including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and heart failure. Clinicians and patients should use this information on risk assessment to personalize prevention efforts in the context of patient preferences for taking medications, potential adverse drug reactions or interactions, and which treatment intervention approach for underlying risk factors may be most successful for a particular patient.
