2026 Volume 90 Issue 5 Pages 449-457
Over the past decade, there have been significant advances in pharmacotherapy for cardiovascular diseases and related health conditions. In particular, numerous large-scale clinical trials have been conducted internationally, and remarkable progress has been made in several disease-modifying medications for diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and heart failure. These research trends have driven dynamic changes in treatment guidelines and clinical practice. At the same time, this era has given rise to the concept of cardiovascular–kidney–metabolic (CKM) syndrome, which represents a transformative shift in understanding the complex pathophysiology and therapeutics of relevant health conditions. Positioning this framework as part of a unified disease continuum could promote early intervention, multidisciplinary care, and more effective prevention and treatment strategies. Although challenges remain in validating the CKM syndrome framework and implementing the care model in Japan, this concept may provide a unique clinical tool for addressing the globally increasing burden of cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic health issues. This review discusses the current understanding of CKM syndrome and introduces the author’s research contributions related to CKM network medicine.
