Survey Reveals Widespread Unawareness of CKM Syndrome Affecting Nearly 90% of U.S. Adults
A new American Heart Association survey shows 90% of U.S. adults are unaware of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, a condition affecting nearly 90% of the population that significantly increases heart attack and stroke risk.
A new survey from the American Heart Association reveals that approximately 90% of U.S. adults have not heard of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome, despite the condition affecting nearly 90% of the adult population. The syndrome encompasses interconnected health conditions including heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes and obesity, creating a cycle that significantly increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure when these systems function poorly together.
According to the survey conducted by The Harris Poll in August 2025 among 4,007 U.S. adults, nearly 90% of respondents have at least one risk factor for CKM syndrome, including high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, high blood glucose, excess weight and reduced kidney function. The interplay of these risk factors increases cardiovascular risks more than any single condition alone, yet 68% of adults incorrectly believe it's best to manage individual conditions separately or were unsure of the optimal management approach.
"We want people to know that it's really common to have heart, kidney and metabolic risk factors at the same time," said Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., FAHA, the American Heart Association's chief medical officer for prevention. "It is reassuring that once the CKM connection was defined, nearly three-quarters of those responding understood that it was important and wanted to learn more."
The American Heart Association is addressing this knowledge gap through its CKM Health Initiative, providing educational resources at heart.org/CKMtools and working with healthcare teams across the country to improve collaboration among professionals caring for patients with multiple health conditions. The Association will issue the first ever guidelines on CKM syndrome in early 2026, marking a significant step in standardized care approaches.
Survey findings indicate strong public interest in learning more about CKM health, with 79% of respondents agreeing it's important to understand more about the condition and 72% expressing interest in learning more. People are most interested in understanding how CKM syndrome is treated (72%) and diagnosed (71%), suggesting potential for improved patient engagement through targeted education.
Research published in JAMA supports the prevalence findings, while additional studies including "Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association" and "Prevalence of Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome Stages in US Adults, 2011-2020" in JAMA provide further context for understanding the condition's scope and impact.
"The heart, kidney and metabolic systems are connected and, as such, should be treated in a coordinated way," Sanchez emphasized. "These results reveal the need to emphasize those connections and help patients understand the importance of collaborative care." For most individuals, CKM syndrome is reversible with changes to eating patterns, physical activity and appropriate treatment, offering hope for improved population health outcomes through increased awareness and coordinated care approaches.