Diabetes and kidney disease are known risk factors for heart disease, but many people in the United States remain undiagnosed. A recent consumer survey found that most individuals do not realize the connection between heart, kidney, and metabolic health.
The American Heart Association’s 2026 statistics update reveals that nearly one in four U.S. adults with diabetes are unaware of their condition. Additionally, data from the Centers for Disease Control indicate that up to nine out of ten adults with chronic kidney disease do not know they have it.
Heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes are closely related. Having one increases the chance of developing another because they share common risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, elevated blood sugar levels, excess weight, and reduced kidney function. The American Heart Association notes that screening for kidney disease could be improved; two-thirds of patients with high blood pressure or diabetes may also have undiagnosed kidney disease due to a lack of uACR urine testing.
For those with diabetes or high blood pressure, experts recommend two types of tests to assess kidney health: the uACR urine test and the eGFR blood test. Each test measures different aspects of how well the kidneys are functioning.
The link between these conditions is called cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome (CKM syndrome). The main risks associated with CKM syndrome are disability and death from heart disease and stroke. Diabetes and obesity make up the “metabolic” component of CKM syndrome, while kidney disease is linked to both metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
Rosen, executive director of the Katz Institute for Women's Health and senior vice president at Northwell Health in New York City, highlighted the importance of regular screenings: "Due to the current risk factor rates, everyone could benefit from being screened this way." She pointed out that about 80% of heart attacks and strokes can be prevented through early detection according to the American Heart Association. Many risk factors develop slowly without obvious symptoms.
The association’s report also states that about half of all U.S. adults have high blood pressure; around one in three has high total cholesterol; more than half have prediabetes or diabetes; over half have a high waist circumference; and approximately one in seven has kidney disease.
Screening for CKM syndrome can include several tests whose results can be entered into an online calculator called PREVENT to estimate an individual’s long-term risk for cardiovascular disease.
CKM syndrome is preventable and treatable through healthy lifestyle habits—such as those outlined by Life's Essential 8—and evidence-based medical treatments that target multiple conditions at once.
