November is Diabetes Awareness Month, a reminder that diabetes can affect much more than blood sugar. Over time, Type 2 diabetes can damage the kidneys and raise the risk of heart disease. These conditions often develop together and can make one another worse.
Doctors call this connection cardio-kidney-metabolic, or CKM, syndrome. It isn’t a disease or a diagnosis; it’s a way to describe how heart health, kidney function, metabolism and weight are linked. Because problems can develop gradually, people may not realize they’re at risk.
University Health’s Cardio-Kidney-Metabolic Clinic brings specialists together to create care plans tailored to each patient’s needs. The clinic is the first of its kind in South Texas.
Cardiologist Dr. David Cardona Estrada, nephrologist Dr. Shweta Bansal and endocrinologist Dr. Aruna Venkatesh will discuss CKM at “The CKM Connection: Connecting Heart, Kidney and Metabolic Care,” a town hall livestream on Monday, Nov. 16, 2026, at 2 p.m. hosted by KSAT Community. Viewers can watch wherever they stream.
KSAT Community operates in partnership with University Health and Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union. Click here to read about other KSAT Community efforts. Interested in partnering with KSAT Community? Get in touch by filling out this form.
