Crisis Point: The Silent Rise and Growing Threat of Chronic Kidney Disease

This is Crisis Point.

Our mini-docuseries has returned, taking a comprehensive look at public health crises affecting the United States today, with global implications tomorrow. If the crisis point is the moment where a crisis will worsen or begin to get better, the question remains: where are we now?

CKD’s Emergence as A Public Health Crisis: How We Got Here and How to Turn the Tide

In recognition of National Kidney Month, this episode addresses the growing burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its emergence as the biggest public health crisis of our time.

CKD is estimated to affect 35 million adults in the US alone, but despite its widespread impact, it often flies under the radar. For many patients, the disease progresses silently and goes undetected until it reaches advanced stages when symptoms appear but treatment options are limited.¹

While there has been no single cause of the CKD crisis, the growing prevalence of risk factors like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity has intensified the threat posed by CKD, setting the stage for a surge in cases that could overwhelm healthcare systems and disrupt countless lives.¹

Several changes will be necessary to change the trajectory of CKD and mitigate the public health crisis it poses. Among these is the need for heightened public awareness. Given the silent nature of CKD, early detection and treatment are difficult to obtain if patients are not aware of the disease and their risk for it.

Current estimates suggest 9 out of 10 people with kidney disease are unaware they have it, and 1 in 3 of those with severely reduced kidney function but who are not yet on dialysis are unaware they have kidney disease.¹

Effective interventions for CKD are most effective when the disease is caught early, preventing the need for dialysis or transplantation. While kidney disease is not reversible, it is treatable. Most recently, the US Food and Drug Administration approved semaglutide (Ozempic) to reduce the risk of kidney disease worsening, kidney failure, and death due to cardiovascular disease in adults with type 2 diabetes and CKD.²

Part 1 of this episode of Crisis Point delves into the complex challenges surrounding CKD, exploring the various factors contributing to its growth, the importance of early detection and intervention, and the need for heightened public awareness.

Brief descriptions of the speakers featured in this project are provided below:

• Pranav Garimella, MBBS, MPH, chief medical officer of the American Kidney Fund
• Joseph Vassalotti, MD, associate clinical professor of medicine in the division of nephrology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and chief medical officer of the National Kidney Foundation
• Salvatore Viscomi, MD, chief executive officer of Carna Health
• Aja Best, MBA, a patient advocate who was diagnosed with CKD during pregnancy, eventually requiring dialysis and a kidney transplant

For more video content, visit our Crisis Point page to see other episodes on improving health equity in eye care, disparities in cardiovascular health, insulin access in the United States, physician burnout across healthcare, and the ongoing obesity crisis.

References

1. American Kidney Fund. Quick kidney disease facts and stats. Accessed March 5, 2025. https://www.kidneyfund.org/all-about-kidneys/quick-kidney-disease-facts-and-stats

2. Brooks A. FDA Approves Semaglutide (Ozempic) for Type 2 Diabetes, Chronic Kidney Disease. HCPLive. January 28, 2025. Accessed March 5, 2025. https://www.hcplive.com/view/fda-approves-semaglutide-ozempic-type-2-diabetes-chronic-kidney-disease