New online Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Clinical Pathway rolled out

A new online Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Clinical Pathway is now available to aid in the identification, management, and referral of adults with CKD, in line with best practices and local, national and international guidelines.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects approximately 9% of the adult population or roughly 3 million Canadians. The Interdisciplinary Chronic Disease Collaboration, Northern and Southern Alberta Renal Programs, Alberta Health Services, and key CKD stakeholders (primary care physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, and nephrologists) collaborated to develop an interactive, online CKD Clinical Pathway for health care providers. It provides information and recommendations that assist in the screening, diagnosis, management and referral of adults with CKD.

As primary care providers, pharmacists play an important role in identifying and managing patients with CKD. The CKD Clinical Pathway is a tool to support Alberta pharmacists in their practice.

Pharmacists routinely screen for decreased kidney function when assessing new and refill prescriptions for appropriateness. CKD is present if patients have an eGFR less than 60 mL/min/1.73m² or markers of kidney damage (such as albuminuria) for at least 3 months.

The CKD Clinical Pathway provides guidance on: 

• vascular disease risk management;
• blood pressure and hemoglobin A1C targets;
• use of statins, antiplatelets, ACE inhibitors (ACEi) and Angiotensin 2 Receptor Blockers (ARB);
• management of hyperkalemia related to ACEi and ARB use;
• potentially nephrotoxic medications; and
• renal dose adjustments for common medications.

The CKD Clinical Pathway also provides criteria to determine which patients require referral to a nephrologist.

You can access the pathway in the following ways:

1. Webpage www.ckdpathway.ca
2. COMING SOON: Your patients’ eGFR and urine lab test results will be available in Netcare though an embedded URL link. This prompt will direct you to the web-based pathway where you will be provided with information to guide diagnosis, management and referral of adult patients with CKD.

For more information or to provide feedback, please contact ckdpathway@ucalgary.ca.

Originally published in the November 18, 2014 issue of The Link