Review of KDIGO guidelines addressing the cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome — formally recognised by the American Heart Association in 2023 as the integrated entity linking chronic kidney disease with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and cardiovascular disease. The review synthesises relevant KDIGO Clinical Practice Guidelines (CKD, blood pressure, diabetes, lipids), the upcoming guideline on heart failure in CKD, and Controversies Conference reports on obesity and CKD prevention. Core themes: early detection and intervention, personalised management of kidney and cardiovascular risk, and multidisciplinary care. KDIGO provides a robust framework for clinical practice and research priorities in patients at risk for or with CKM syndrome.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is closely intertwined with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In 2023, the American Heart Association formally recognized these interconnections as a unified entity, the cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome. The CKM syndrome brings renewed attention to the importance of CKD in CVD and reinforces the need for effective, evidence-based, interdisciplinary approaches to diagnose and prevent its intersecting components. The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) organization has long led efforts to synthesize knowledge and translate evidence to practice in this area through the lens of the kidney. This review highlights KDIGO Clinical Practice Guidelines and Controversies Conference publications that directly address the CKM syndrome. These include guidelines addressing CKD, blood pressure, diabetes, and lipids; an upcoming guideline addressing heart failure in CKD; and Controversies Conference reports addressing obesity and CKD prevention. Overarching themes include the importance of early detection and intervention; comprehensive, personalized management of kidney and cardiovascular risk; and multidisciplinary care. Through integrated, evidence-based, disease-specific guidelines and reports, KDIGO has established a robust framework for the management of people at risk for or with CKM syndrome as well as priorities for ongoing research.
