Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
October 20, 2025
90% Unaware of CKM Syndrome That Affects Nearly All US Adults
TLDR
- The American Heart Association's CKM syndrome awareness provides early health advantage through coordinated treatment of interconnected heart, kidney and metabolic conditions.
- CKM syndrome involves interconnected heart, kidney and metabolic systems where dysfunction in one affects others, requiring coordinated care and lifestyle changes for reversal.
- The American Heart Association's CKM initiative improves public health by educating about reversible conditions that affect nearly 90% of adults through coordinated care.
- Most adults have CKM syndrome risk factors but don't know these interconnected systems create a health cycle that can be reversed with lifestyle changes.
Impact - Why it Matters
This news matters because CKM syndrome represents a fundamental shift in understanding how common chronic conditions interconnect, affecting nearly 90% of American adults. The condition's widespread prevalence combined with public unawareness creates a critical health crisis where people may be treating symptoms individually rather than addressing the underlying interconnected systems. Since CKM syndrome is often reversible through lifestyle changes and coordinated care, this awareness gap represents both a massive public health challenge and opportunity. The interconnected nature of heart, kidney, and metabolic health means that addressing one condition without considering the others can lead to ineffective treatment and worsening health outcomes. With heart disease remaining a leading cause of death in the United States, understanding and addressing CKM syndrome could significantly reduce healthcare costs, improve quality of life, and prevent premature deaths by encouraging a more holistic approach to chronic disease management.
Summary
A groundbreaking survey from the American Heart Association reveals that approximately 90% of U.S. adults are unaware of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome, a newly defined health condition that affects nearly the same percentage of American adults. The survey, conducted by The Harris Poll in August 2025 among 4,000 adults, highlights a critical gap in public health awareness despite the widespread prevalence of this interconnected condition that combines heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and obesity. Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, the American Heart Association's chief medical officer for prevention, emphasizes that "the heart, kidney and metabolic systems are connected and, as such, should be treated in a coordinated way," challenging the common misconception that individual conditions should be managed separately.
The research findings demonstrate both the urgency and opportunity for public education, with 79% of respondents agreeing that understanding CKM health is important and 72% expressing interest in learning more. People are most interested in understanding how CKM syndrome is treated (72%) and diagnosed (71%), indicating a readiness for comprehensive health information. The survey revealed concerning knowledge gaps, including that 68% of adults incorrectly believe it's best to manage individual conditions one at a time, and 42% believed that a healthy heart wouldn't likely be damaged by other organ systems. The American Heart Association is addressing these gaps through its CKM Health Initiative, providing educational resources and a dedicated website to help people understand how these systems interconnect.
The Association's comprehensive approach includes working with healthcare teams across the country to improve collaboration among professionals caring for patients with multiple conditions. Supported by founding sponsors Novo Nordisk and Boehringer Ingelheim, along with supporting sponsors Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation and Bayer, and champion sponsor DaVita, the initiative represents a major shift in how chronic conditions are understood and treated. The organization will issue the first-ever guidelines on CKM syndrome in early 2026, marking a significant advancement in medical understanding. Dr. Sanchez notes that "CKM health is about your overall health" and emphasizes that regular checks of blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, blood sugar, and kidney function can help people take control of their interconnected health systems.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by NewMediaWire. Read the original source here, 90% Unaware of CKM Syndrome That Affects Nearly All US Adults
