the health strategist
institute for strategic health transformation
& digital technology
Joaquim Cardoso MSc.
Chief Research and Strategy Officer (CRSO),
Chief Editor and Senior Advisor
October 2, 2023
One page summary
What is the message?
This article discusses a recent study on the overlapping health concerns of cardiovascular disease (CVD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and type 2 diabetes (T2D) among US adults, highlighting the increasing prevalence of these conditions and major treatment gaps.
Key Takeaways:
1. High Prevalence of CRM Conditions
- More than one-fourth (26.3%) of US adults have at least one of the CRM conditions: CVD, CKD, or T2D.
- 8% have at least two of these conditions, …
- … and 1.5% have all three.
- CKD (13.9%) is the most prevalent, followed by T2D (13.3%) and CVD (8.6%).
- Disparities in CRM comorbidity burden are observed among those who are unemployed, of low socioeconomic status, and without a high school degree.
2. Atherosclerotic CVD and Heart Failure
- 1.6% of patients presented with both atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD) and heart failure.
- 6.2% had ASCVD only, and 0.8% had heart failure only.
- Patients with CVD, CKD, and T2D face an elevated risk of presenting with both ASCVD and heart failure.
3. Increasing Prevalence of Overlapping Conditions
- The proportion of US adults with at least one CRM condition has risen from 21.2% in 1999-2002 to 26.3% in 2015-2020.
- Significant growth has been observed in patients with T2D and CVD.
- “Triple intersection” of all three CRM conditions is more common now (1.5% of patients) compared to 1999-2002 (0.7%).
4. Age-Related Risk
- Participants aged 65 and older are more likely to have one or more CRM conditions.
- 33.6% in this age group have at least one CRM condition, 17.1% have two, and 5% have all three.
- The majority (69%) of participants with all three conditions are in this age group, while only 12.4% of those without any CRM conditions fall into this category.
5. Treatment Gaps
- Statin use varies among CRM conditions: 47% for T2D alone, 44.6% for CKD and T2D, 75.6% for CVD and T2D, and 69.5% for all three conditions.
- Common antihyperglycemic medications include metformin (53.4%), sulfonylureas (17.1%), and insulin (12.8%).
- Major treatment gaps exist, especially for statins and renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, even among high-risk individuals.
- Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists are underused, even among patients with all three CRM conditions.
This study underscores the growing prevalence of overlapping cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic conditions in the US population, particularly among older adults, and highlights the need to address major treatment gaps to improve patient outcomes.
DEEP DIVE
This summary was written based on the article “Overlapping concerns: 5 takeaways from a new study on CVD, CKD and type 2 diabetes among US adults“, published by Cardiovascular Business and written by Michael Walter, on September 28, 2023.
To read the full article, access https://cardiovascularbusiness.com/topics/clinical/acute-coronary-syndromes/5-takeaways-cvd-ckd-type-2-diabetes-adults
