Kidney Health Is Heart Health
The kidney-to-heart visit
Use this as a reference in a clinical conversation. No form needs to be completed for this activity.
| Step | Question to answer | Close the loop |
|---|---|---|
| History | What do the patient’s kidney trends, cardiovascular conditions, medicines and priorities tell us? | Retain relevant pregnancy history and current concerns in one longitudinal record. |
| Evidence | Are eGFR and UACR both available? Is the abnormality persistent? What clinical outcome supports the treatment? | Record the dates, context and source of the clinical decision. |
| Next action | What assessment or treatment fits this patient now? | Review contraindications, potassium, volume status, access and preferences. |
| Follow-up | Who will order the test, interpret it and contact the patient? | Agree on dates, urgency, interim ownership and an accepted referral. |
A1C answers a glucose question. Kidney and cardiovascular protection require their own assessment.
Open printable clinical takeaway → · Open complete reading guide →
- American Diabetes Association. Chronic Kidney Disease and Risk Management: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026. Diabetes Care. 49:S246–S260. Source
- KDIGO. 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease. Source
- Stempniewicz N, et al. Chronic kidney disease testing among primary care patients with type 2 diabetes across 24 US health care organizations. Diabetes Care. 2021;44:2000–2009. Source
- EMPA-KIDNEY Collaborative Group. Empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease. N Engl J Med. 2023;388:117–127. Source
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- Bayer. Kerendia US Prescribing Information. Current label checked October 15, 2026. Source
- Novo Nordisk. Ozempic injection US Prescribing Information. Current label checked October 15, 2026. Source
- Boehringer Ingelheim. Jardiance US Prescribing Information. DailyMed, current record accessed October 15, 2026. Source
- KDIGO. Diabetes and CKD guideline status: 2022 remains the current published diabetes guideline; 2026 update is in development. Accessed October 15, 2026. Source
- 13. AHA/ACC/ADA/ASN et al. 2026 Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome. Published June 9, 2026. Official key points. https://professional.heart.org/en/science-news/2026-guideline-for-the-prevention-detection-evaluation-and-management-of-ckm-syndrome/top-things-to-know