The KDIGO Controversies Conference on Kidney Disease and Heart Failure convened a global group of experts, including nephrologists, cardiologists, related specialists, and patients, to examine the complex and increasingly recognized intersection of these two conditions. The conference was co-chaired by Dr. Nisha Bansal (University of Washington, United States) and Dr. Carolyn Lam (National Heart Centre Singapore and Duke-National University of Singapore, Singapore).

The conference report, Kidney Disease and Heart Failure: Recent Advances and Current Challenges: Conclusions from a KDIGO Controversies Conference, has been jointly published in Kidney International and JACC: Heart Failure. The report summarizes the key discussions, areas of consensus, and priorities for future research and clinical care. Read the news release.

Heart failure and chronic kidney disease frequently coexist and are associated with substantially worse clinical outcomes. Despite growing recognition of this overlap, major gaps remain in understanding the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of patients living with both conditions. In particular, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, the most common heart failure subtype, remains incompletely understood in individuals with kidney disease.

Building on insights from the 2017 KDIGO Controversies Conference on Heart Failure in CKD, participants examined how recent advances, including sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), are reshaping care while also highlighting remaining uncertainties in diagnosis, treatment strategies, and clinical trial design for patients with both kidney disease and heart failure.

Four breakout groups addressed pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and clinical trials across the full spectrum of heart failure and stages of kidney disease. These discussions identified key knowledge gaps and research priorities to improve outcomes for patients affected by both conditions.

Plenary Presentation Recordings