Foreword from the Collection Editor
Professor of Medicine at the Northern Clinical School, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW; Chair of Kidney Health Australia; Chair of the NSW Bureau of Health Information; and Deputy Chair of the Australian Organ Tissue and Transplant Authority.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing global health challenge, driven by the increasing prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cardiovascular disease. In Australia, more than two million adults show evidence of CKD, and too many remain undiagnosed until the disease is advanced. Yet, with early recognition and comprehensive, team-based care, its progression can be slowed and its cardiovascular complications reduced.
This Focus on chronic kidney disease collection brings together contemporary, practical guidance for clinicians on the front line of detection and management. It underscores the importance of systematic assessment – blood pressure, estimated glomerular filtration rate and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio – and the need for integrated, multidisciplinary and culturally responsive care that empowers patients and communities alike.
Therapeutic advances now provide the tools to fundamentally alter disease trajectories. The four pillars of therapy – renin–angiotensin system inhibitors, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists – offer proven kidney and cardiovascular protection. When combined with lifestyle measures and patient engagement, these strategies herald a new era in CKD care – one defined by prevention, partnership and possibility.