Finalist
Addressing the Unmet Need in Hyperkalaemia
Summary of work
Hyperkalaemia (HK) is when potassium levels in the blood become higher than normal. While often asymptomatic, if left untreated it can have life-threatening implications. HK is common in chronic conditions such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) and heart failure (HF). Life-extending medications for CKD and HF can exacerbate HK meaning they are not being optimised to guideline recommendations.
Together with firstlight PR, Vifor Pharma set out to understand the reasons behind clinical inertia around treating to guidelines by conducting research and gathering insights from a multidisciplinary team, validating the need for education.
To tackle the issues surrounding optimal CKD and HF disease management, Vifor-led symposia drew in nephrologists and cardiologists to spark live debates, proving the extent of the problem.
Furthermore, a survey and peer-review publication unearthed a desire from clinicians for practical changes in guidelines and a need for new treatments for HK.
Tailored, multichannel education built on the awareness-raising activities to create tools and programmes, endorsed by respected professional and academic groups, that can improve clinical practice.
Judges’ comments
This programme is a complete package that ticks all the boxes. It demonstrates a true educational need and addresses a really challenging problem. It is a successful start to a longer term campaign and the judges look forward to seeing its development.
