Exploring Medical Comorbidities: Kidney Disease in the Context of Other Diseases and Illnesses

Managing kidney disease in addition to other co-occurring chronic health conditions (e.g., sickle cell disease, diabetes, and lupus) can feel overwhelming both physically and emotionally for patients and families. Challenging aspects of treating kidney and other conditions include navigating multiple medical teams (e.g., nephrology and rheumatology), adhering to complex and sometimes conflicting treatment regimens required to treat more than one disease, understanding and managing a new illness and symptoms, and coping with impairments to quality of life and psychological functioning. This chapter explores the complexities involved in managing kidney conditions that occur with other diseases and provides case examples to illustrate the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing these challenges through patient- and family-centered care and shared decision-making.