Diabetes and kidney disease are major risk factors for heart disease, yet many cases are undiagnosed. In addition, a consumer\u00a0survey\u00a0done last fall suggests that most people don’t realize that their heart, kidney and metabolic health (how the body creates, uses and stores energy) are connected.<\/p>\n
According to the American Heart Association’s new\u00a02026 statistics update, almost 1 in 4 U.S. adults with diabetes are unaware they have it. In addition, Centers for Disease Control data\u00a0report that as many as 9 in 10 adults with chronic kidney disease\u00a0do not know\u00a0they have it.<\/p>\n
Because heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes are\u00a0closely linked, having one condition often increases the likelihood of developing the others. This is largely due to shared risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, excess weight and reduced kidney function. The Association’s statistics report indicates that screening for kidney disease in particular could be improved, as two-thirds of patients with high blood pressure or diabetes are not aware that they also have kidney disease due to lack of uACR testing, a urine test for kidney function.\u00a0For people with diabetes<\/a> or high blood pressure, two screening tests for kidney health are suggested: the uACR urine test and eGFR blood test. Each measures different aspects of kidney health and function.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n We are encouraging people to become aware of the connection between conditions so they and their health care team can think about their overall health beyond individual conditions. Understanding the connection helps you better prevent complications through lifestyle changes and appropriate treatment.”<\/p>\n
Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n The medical term for the connection between heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes is cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, or\u00a0CKM syndrome. The biggest health threats from CKM syndrome are disability and death from heart disease and stroke, which make up the “cardiovascular” part of CKM.<\/p>\n The “metabolic” part of CKM syndrome includes diabetes and obesity. Kidney disease is closely linked with both metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.<\/p>\n Rosen emphasizes that regular screening of your cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic health can catch problems early, as approximately 80% of heart attacks and strokes are preventable, according to the American Heart Association. In addition, risk factors often develop slowly, with few or no symptoms at first.<\/p>\n “Due to the current risk factor rates, everyone could benefit from being screened this way,” she adds. Rosen is executive director of the Katz Institute for Women’s Health and senior vice president of women’s health at Northwell Health in New York City.<\/p>\n The Association’s 2026 statistics report shows that about half of all U.S. adults have high blood pressure, about 1 in 3 has high total cholesterol, more than half have prediabetes or diabetes, over half have a high waist circumference, and about 1 in 7 has kidney disease.<\/p>\n Screening for CKM syndrome may include the following tests:<\/p>\n
A healthcare professional can put results from these tests into the\u00a0PREVENT online calculator\u00a0to estimate your individual risk for cardiovascular disease over the next 10 or 30 years.<\/p>\n CKM syndrome is preventable and treatable. Healthy habits like those in\u00a0Life’s Essential 8\u00a0and evidence-based treatments can improve multiple health conditions together.<\/p>\n Source:<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\n\tBlood pressure
\n\tCholesterol panel, which includes total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (known as “bad” cholesterol), HDL cholesterol (“good” cholesterol), and triglycerides, the most common type of fat in the body
\n\tBlood glucose (blood sugar), measured in either the short term as fasting glucose or long term as A1C
\n\tBody weight and size, measured by body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference
\n\tKidney function, measured with both UACR and eGFR
<\/p>\n