CKM syndrome was recently defined by experts studying the connection between heart disease, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. These conditions often work together and can worsen each other, leading to the development of CKM syndrome.
People fall into one of five stages of CKM based on any health risks, signs, or symptoms they may have. The stages range from having no known risks to exhibiting the signs and symptoms of heart disease. Learning about each stage is the first step in helping you understand how CKM syndrome affects your health.
Recent research shows that 90% of American adults have one or more CKM risk factors.
Let’s explore each stage.
Stage 0: No CKM syndrome risk factors
At this stage, there are no signs that your heart, kidney or metabolism are at risk. While overall health risks are low in Stage 0, focusing on prevention is important. Eating well, staying active, refraining from smoking and limiting alcohol are key to ensuring you continue to avoid any risks.
Stage 1: Early warnings
In Stage 1, a person may have the following risk factors present themselves:
- Increased or high body fat percentage
- Prediabetes, which means a person’s sugar levels are higher than normal, but they are not yet diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
In this stage, adopting better lifestyle habits is even more important and can help you lower blood sugar levels back to normal. Try to incorporate a better diet and exercise plan and start to curb unhealthy habits such as smoking and alcohol consumption.
Stage 2: Risks begin to impact your health
In this stage, a person may have a type 2 diabetes diagnosis and or kidney disease, high cholesterol (high levels of fat in your blood) and high blood pressure.
This stage can be managed through consistent monitoring:
- Regularly visit a provider to check blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. Let them know of any changes to symptoms.
- Work closely with providers to help prevent kidney disease from getting worse. Your healthcare provider plays a crucial role in managing CKM syndrome, providing guidance, and prescribing necessary medications.
- If needed, a provider may prescribe medications to help control blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.
Stage 3: Heart and blood vessel problems begin
When the heart and blood vessels show signs of problems, a person is in the early stages of cardiovascular disease.
Providers may discuss the following at this stage:
- Adjusting the amount (dose) of medications you may take for diabetes, blood pressure or cholesterol
- Checking for artery problems is a good idea at this time. It is done by measuring the amount of calcium in the walls of your heart’s arteries (called coronary artery calcium or CAC test). Based on the results, your provider may recommend treatments to help prevent those problems from worsening and
Stage 4: Heart problems
In this stage, people begin to see the signs and symptoms of heart problems and have had stroke, heart attack or heart failure. Stage 4 has two substages: Stage 4a is without kidney failure, and Stage 4b is with kidney failure.
Keeping your health stable is very important, and providers will develop a plan with you to provide care, treatments, and manage symptoms.
Preventive care and good change make a difference
By being proactive and working closely with your healthcare providers, you can help prevent the syndrome’s progression and improve your overall health.
Here are some lifestyle changes that can help improve health:
- Get active. Regular physical activity can make a huge difference at every stage of CKM syndrome. Moving your body also helps your mood.
- Balanced and healthy eating: Fill your plate with colorful produce, hearty whole grains like oatmeal and brown rice, and protein-rich options such as fish and legumes.
- Lose weight. Reducing your weight helps you better manage any CKM conditions, such as improving blood sugar levels for those with diabetes, controlling cholesterol, and lowering blood pressure.
- Break unhealthy habits: Avoid smoking, limit alcohol consumption, and habits that worsen the conditions that impact CKM syndrome.
- Practice self-care: Dealing with CKM syndrome can be overwhelming, so it’s important to make sure you take the time to deal with how you feel both physically and mentally.
Reviewed the Ovia Health Clinical Team
Read more
What is cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome?
Why preventive care is essential for better health
Sources
- “Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) Syndrome.” Cleveland Clinic, 5 Jan. 2024, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic-syndrome.
- “Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) Syndrome.” American Kidney Fund, 19 Apr. 2024, www.kidneyfund.org/all-about-kidneys/other-kidney-diseases/ckm-syndrome#what-is-the-connection-between-kidney-disease-and-ckm.
- “Heart Disease Risk, Prevention and Management Redefined.” American Heart Association, 9 Oct. 2023, newsroom.heart.org/news/heart-disease-risk-prevention-and-management-redefined#:~:text=Stage%202%20includes%20people%20with,the%20risk%20of%20heart%20failure.
- “What Is CKM Syndrome?” Verywell Health, 18 Dec. 2023, www.verywellhealth.com/ckm-syndrome-8410264.
