OVERVIEW

Medical Crossfire®: Understanding the Complexities of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in Type 2 Diabetes is organized by Physicians' Education Resource, LLC (PER).

Release Date: October 31, 2019
Expiration Date: October 31, 2020

Accreditation:
Physicians' Education Resource®, LLC, designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Physicians’ Education Resource®, LLC, is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #16669, for 1.5 Contact Hours.

Activity Overview:
The overall prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the general US population is approximately 14%. Diabetes and hypertension are the leading causes. Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) may already be present when type 2 diabetes (T2D) is identified in patients. It is a silent killer, and symptoms do not manifest until more than 90% of renal function is lost. The annual mortality rate associated with kidney disease is greater than breast or prostate cancer. Unfortunately, early interventions are impeded by alarmingly low screening rates, underdiagnosis, and minimal patient awareness. Almost half of individuals with CKD also have cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, and hyperlipidemia multiply a diabetic patient’s demands on their kidneys, as well as elevate their risks of renal and diabetes complications.

Early diagnosis of DKD allows clinicians to optimize drug therapy to prevent progression to end-stage renal disease and aggressively manage comorbidities and complications. Although there has been little progress in the last decade for developing new treatment options for CKD, newer classes of glucose-lowering agents have demonstrated renoprotective effects and novel nonglucose-lowering agents are emerging.

During this Medical Crossfire®, a multidisciplinary panel will discuss the impact of CKD in patients with diabetes, from risk factors to guideline-based screening recommendations, followed by renoprotective strategies with new and emerging agents. A series of patient cases with increasing severity of kidney disease will exemplify the treatments and strategies for improving patient outcomes.

Learning Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this educational activity, you should be better prepared to:
• Describe recommended diagnostic practices for CKD in patients with T2D.
• Recognize the complex pathophysiology of CKD and the role of mineralocorticoid receptors in disease progression.
• Evaluate the efficacy and safety of nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists and other therapies under investigation for treatment of patients with CKD.