Chronic kidney disease, or CKD, affects about one in ten adults worldwide. Results from many real-world studies show that early identification and treatment of CKD is crucial to prevent the disease from getting worse. However, because CKD can have no symptoms in its early stages, it is often not diagnosed. Many people with CKD are therefore unaware that they have it. People with CKD are likely to have other long-term health issues as well, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes. Primary care practitioners are best placed to offer holistic, patient-centered care to those with CKD, and are the frontline in identifying and managing the risk factors for chronic disease. Primary care practitioners may advise people with CKD on lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, as well as helping them understand what treatments are available. Sodium–glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors have shown strong kidney-protective effects in clinical trials, and recently updated clinical guidelines recommend their use as foundational therapy alongside more established treatments of CKD. These treatments should be prescribed to people with CKD whether they have diabetes or not. For people at high risk of CKD, primary care practitioners should regularly obtain and record measurements of kidney function and blood pressure. Public and primary care practitioner awareness and education, the use of clinical decision support tools, and good communication between healthcare professionals are all important to drive change in primary care and improve the early identification and management of CKD. ….more
