The IAA One Minute Blog

Health experts are redefining cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, prevention and management, according to a new American Heart Association Advisory published in “Circulation.”

Experts Define CKM

Various aspects of cardiovascular disease overlap with kidney disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

For the first time, the American Heart Association defines the overlap in these conditions as cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome. People who are at risk for cardiovascular disease may have CKM syndrome. 

The new approach includes:

• CKM syndrome stages ranging from 0 (no risk factors) to stage 4, the highest risk range with established cardiovascular disease. Stage 4 may also include kidney failure. Each stage correlates to specific screenings and therapies.
• Collaborative approaches among multiple specialties to treat the whole patient
• Screenings for and addressing social factors that impact health
• Suggested updates to the algorithm that helps healthcare professionals predict a person's likelihood of having a heart attack or stroke

According to the American Heart Association, one in three U.S. adults have three or more risk factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease and/or kidney disease.

Stages of CKM

CKM affects nearly every major organ in the body, including the heart, brain, kidney, and liver. However, the biggest impact is on the cardiovascular system, affecting blood vessels and heart muscle function, the rate of fatty buildup in arteries, and electrical impulses.  

CKM related screening is intended to detect cardiovascular, metabolic and kidney health changes early:

1. Stage 0: No CKM risk factors
2. Stage 1: Excess body fat and/or an unhealthy distribution of body fat, such as abdominal obesity, and/or impaired glucose tolerance, or prediabetes
3. Stage 2: Metabolic risk factors and kidney disease
4. Stage 3: Early cardiovascular disease without symptoms in people with metabolic risk factors or kidney disease or those at high predicted risk for cardiovascular disease
5. Stage 4: Symptomatic cardiovascular disease in people with excess body fat, metabolic risk factors or kidney disease

The purpose of these stages is for people to work toward “regressing” to a lower stage.

What IAA has to Say

Insurance Administrator of America is here to bring you updates on the world of health. Remember, with IAA one call does it all.