Cardio-kidney-metabolic, or CKM, health recognizes the strong and interconnected relationship between cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes, obesity and metabolic disorders. These conditions often share common risk factors and can accelerate one another, creating significant and compounding risks for women’s health across the lifespan.

Cardiovascular or heart disease refers to conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. These conditions may include the narrowing of blood vessels throughout the organs, heart valve disease, heart failure, and more. Kidney disease and metabolic conditions such as diabetes and obesity frequently coexist with cardiovascular disease and can worsen outcomes when not identified and managed early.

Cardiovascular disease is the cause of 20 million global deaths annually, with the majority preventable and disproportionately impacting women in low- and middle-income countries. Women across the cardio-kidney-metabolic spectrum are often underdiagnosed and undertreated due to persistent misconceptions that these conditions primarily affect men. In addition, symptoms of cardiovascular disease can present differently in women, and kidney and metabolic risks in women are frequently overlooked.

There is an urgent need to improve awareness, early detection and coordinated care that addresses the full cardio-kidney-metabolic continuum in women. With greater attention from health care leaders, policymakers and health systems worldwide will benefit from more integrated, equitable and responsive care. PWW is committed to advancing this effort and elevating CKM health as a critical priority for women.