Most Americans Have Never Heard of a Heart-Kidney-Metabolism Syndrome

Nearly nine in 10 adults in the United States have not heard of a syndrome that links heart, kidney and metabolic health, according to an American Heart Association survey. Even so, the risk factors tied to it are very common.

Only 12% of respondents recognized cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, often shortened to CKM syndrome or CKM health. The term refers to the way conditions such as obesity, diabetes, kidney disease and cardiovascular disease can worsen one another.

The survey points to a lack of awareness rather than a newly identified illness affecting most people. The often-cited figure of nearly 90% refers to U.S. adults with at least one relevant risk factor, not to everyone having advanced heart or kidney damage.

The Harris Poll conducted the online survey for the association in August 2025, collecting responses from 4,007 adults. The results were weighted to better match the U.S. population by age, education and household income.

After the concept was explained, 79% said it was important to understand more about CKM health, and 72% wanted to learn more. Treatment and diagnosis drew especially strong interest.

The links between these body systems are simple, but they can be missed when care is split into separate conditions. The heart pumps blood, the kidneys remove waste and help regulate fluid balance, and metabolism determines how the body uses energy.

For related treatment research, see how weight-loss medicines are being studied for heart and kidney protection.

High blood pressure can strain the heart and harm the kidneys. Kidney disease can make blood pressure harder to control, while diabetes can damage the blood vessels that supply both organs.

That interplay helps explain why several risk factors together can create a heavier health burden than any single one considered on its own. The framework encourages doctors to look at overlapping risks and coordinate care across specialties.

Still, 68% of survey respondents thought the conditions should be managed separately or were unsure. Another 42% believed other organ systems were unlikely to damage a healthy heart, or did not know.

The association's response includes educational resources and efforts with health care teams to improve collaboration. The goal is to make these connections clear early, before the most serious complications develop.

Some risk factors can improve with treatment and sustained changes in diet or physical activity. That should not be taken to mean that every stage of kidney disease or established cardiovascular disease can be reversed.

The survey relied on volunteers answering online and measured awareness, not medical outcomes. It cannot show whether knowing the term leads to better care or fewer illnesses.

Its practical importance is the need for a more connected view of health. A blood pressure reading, blood sugar result or kidney test may reveal something about several body systems at once, not just the organ named on the appointment slip.

If you are interested in this topic, please read articles about Nutrition and chronic kidney disease: a guide to eating well, and Fruits and vegetables can lower blood pressure and protect heart and kidneys.

For more information, please see articles about Plant-based diets show promise in managing type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and Green Mediterranean diet may improve heart and metabolic health.

Source: American Heart Association.