And the Beat Goes On: Improving Heart Failure and Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes with SGLT2 Inhibitors
ACPE Number:0204-0000-25-408-H01-P Content Release Date: February 19, 2026 Expiration Date: February 19, 2027 Activity Type: Application-based CE Credits: 1.5 contact hours (0.15 CEUs) Activity Fee: Free
Activity Overview
Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome is the multidirectional relationship between cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure (HF), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes (T2D), which can lead to adverse outcomes including premature death, premature morbidity, multiorgan dysfunction, cardiovascular events, decreased quality of life, and excessive medical expenses. Given the relationship between these diseases, SGLT2 inhibitors have expanded indications beyond T2D and now have substantial evidence supporting their use throughout CKM syndrome, including CKD with and without T2D and/or HF throughout the full ejection fraction spectrum. However, adverse social determinants of health, siloed healthcare, lack of understanding CKM syndrome, clinical inertia, lack of knowledge of new SGLT2 inhibitor indications, and changing guidelines serve as barriers to patient-centered treatment.
This educational activity will include evidence-based care and best practices for identifying and addressing barriers and social determinants of health that impact CKM syndrome. Methods to incorporate multidisciplinary collaboration into various care settings to support holistic, patient-centered care will be discussed. This activity will apply current guideline recommendations for early identification, screening, and treatment of patients with SGLT2 inhibitors in chronic kidney disease and heart failure. The latest evidence focused on the use of SGLT2 inhibitors on cardiovascular and kidney outcomes will be discussed and applied to individualized patient cases.
*Please note, this activity was presented live on December 8, 2025 as part of the ASHP 2025 Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition. You can only claim credit once for this activity; live or home study.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education with Commendation.
The target audience for this education is pharmacists who practice in hospitals, health systems, community pharmacies, and ambulatory clinics who care for or are interested in the care of patients with heart failure (full spectrum of ejection fraction) and/or chronic kidney disease (with or without diabetes).
At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:
Analyze the pathophysiology of CKM syndrome and its application to early identification, appropriate screening, and staging.
Identify methods for providing holistic, person-centered care through addressing individualized SDOH barriers and providing interprofessional care to people with cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic comorbidities.
Apply current clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of people with HF throughout the full spectrum of ejection fraction range and/or CKD with or without diabetes.
Leo F. Buckley, PharmD, MPH, BCCP Assistant Professor, Division of Cardiology – University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology – UT Southwestern Peter O’Donnell School of Public Health Dallas, Texas
Leo F. Buckley, PharmD, MPH, BCCP is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine (Cardiology) at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and in the Department of Epidemiology at the UT Southwestern O’Donnell School of Public Health, both in Dallas, Texas. After graduating from Northeastern University's School of Pharmacy, he completed residencies in Pharmacy Practice and Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy at Brigham and Women's Hospital and a research fellowship at Virginia Commonwealth University. At UT Southwestern, he leads a cardiovascular pharmacology research program and practices as a clinical pharmacist. His clinical and research interests include cardio-renal inflammation and metabolism.
Susan Cornell, PharmD, CDCES, FAPhA, FADCES Diabetes Care and Education Specialist and Consultant – Bolingbrook Christian Health Center and Will Grundy Medical Clinic Professor Emeritus – Midwestern University College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove, IL Orland Park, Illinois
Susan Cornell, PharmD, CDCES, FAPhA, FADCES is an Experiential Education Specialist and Professor Emeritus at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy in Downers Grove, Illinois. Dr. Cornell is also a clinical pharmacist, consultant and certified diabetes care and education specialist. Her current clinical practice is with the Bolingbrook Christian Health Center and the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic, where she supervises student pharmacists, as they provide medication therapy management and diabetes care and education for underserved populations. Dr. Cornell served as President of the Illinois Pharmacists Association in 2011. She has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the 2024 APhA-ASP Outstanding Chapter Advisor Award, 2022 ADCES Allene Von Son Distinguished Serves Award, the 2021, 2019 and 2011 MWU Outstanding Faculty Advisor, 2017 ADCES Outstanding Illinois Diabetes Educator of the Year, and the 2014 Bowl of Hygeia, to list a few. She is an active member of the American Diabetes Association. She is also actively involved with the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists, where she previously served on their board of directors and continues to assist on various committees. Dr. Cornell has been invited to give numerous presentations to various healthcare professionals and community groups worldwide. She has served as editor, as well as, published and contributed to many peer-reviewed, professional written and online publications. Dr. Cornell is the associate editor of the ADCES Art and Science of Diabetes Care and Education Desk Reference- 3rd thru 6th edition.
Jeffery S. Vender, MD, MCCM, MBA is the Emeritus, Harris Family Foundation Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology at NorthShore University Health System in Evanston, Illinois and a Clinical Professor at the University of Chicago Pritzker School Of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. He is a past member of the NorthShore University Health System Faculty Practice Associates Board of Directors, Past Chair of the Medical Executive Committee for the Professional Staff at NorthShore and previously served on Northshore’s Board of Directors. Dr. Vender served as Chair of Anesthesia from 1990-2015 and received an appointment of adjunct Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University. He served as the Director of the Critical Care Services at Evanston Hospital from 1987-2000 and the Interim Chairman at Northwestern University Department of Anesthesiology from July 1999 until October 2000. Dr. Vender has participated and Chaired numerous state and national committees of various medical organizations, edited several medical texts, has published over 135 articles and book chapters and has been an invited lecturer at over 250 national and international meetings on topics of anesthesiology, critical care, organizational change, and leadership. In addition, Dr. Vender serves as an editor and/or reviewer for many medical journals.
In accordance with our accreditor’s Standards of Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, ASHP requires that all individuals in control of content disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies. An individual has a relevant financial relationship if they have had a financial relationship with an ineligible company in any dollar amount in the past 24 months and the educational content that the individual controls is related to the business lines or products of the ineligible company.
An ineligible company is any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients. The presence or absence of relevant financial relationships will be disclosed to the activity audience.
All persons in control of content do not have any relevant financial relationships with an ineligible company.
As defined by the Standards of Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education definition of ineligible company. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated prior to the CE activity.
To receive CE credit, complete the steps below within 60 days of completing the activity.
View the entire presentation and answer all polling questions.
Click "Complete Activity" on last slide then complete the evaluation to claim credit.
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Important Note – ACPE 60 Day Deadline Per ACPE requirements, CPE credit must be claimed within 60 days of being earned – no exceptions! To verify that you have completed the required steps and to ensure your credits have been reported to CPE Monitor, we encourage you to check your NABP eProfile account to validate your credits were transferred successfully before the ACPE 60-day deadline. After the 60 day deadline, ASHP will no longer be able to award credit for this activity.
Provided by ASHP.
Supported by an independent medical educational grant from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company.
