Chronic kidney disease: clinical resources and tools

Guidelines

Kidney Health Australia handbook Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Management in Primary Care 4th edition
Updated in 2020, this is an evidence-based source of information providing guidance and clinical tips to help GPs detect, manage and refer patients with CKD. This handbook is endorsed by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).
The Kidney Health Australia CKD handbook is available as in hard copy or via the CKD Go App (downloadable for free from your app store).

Caring for Australians and New Zealanders with Renal Impairment (CARI) Guidelines
Clinical practice guidelines for the management of CKD in Australia and New Zealand. These guidelines focus on CKD, dialysis, transplantation, and acute kidney injury and are supported by the Australia and New Zealand Society of Nephrology, and the peak consumer body, Kidney Health Australia. Guideline updates are expected to be released later in 2022.
Caring for Australians and New Zealanders with Renal Impairment (CARI) Guidelines: Management of lipid-lowering therapy in CKD
This guideline (2021) is an update of the Early Chronic Kidney Disease Guideline subtopic: Medical therapies to reduce CKD progression and cardiovascular risk: lipid-lowering therapy.

Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines
These international guidelines focus on topics related to the prevention and management of CKD. These guidelines are available online as a smartphone app (downloadable for free from your app store).

The National Heart Foundation of Australia Guidelines for the management of absolute cardiovascular risk
The Absolute Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk Guidelines help you identify, prevent and manage a person’s risk of developing CVD.

Australian Journal of General Practice Prescribing and deprescribing in chronic kidney disease
This article includes a list of commonly prescribed medicines that may require dose reduction or cessation for people with CKD.

Australian Family Physician Prescribing for older people with chronic renal impairment
This article presents an overview of prescribing considerations in primary care for older patients with CKD.

Australian Prescriber How to adjust doses in chronic kidney disease
This article describes factors to consider when prescribing medicines cleared by the kidneys to patients with CKD such as dose amount and dose interval. Guidance on when automated estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) may need to be adjusted is provided.

Veterans’ MATES Think ‘kidney function’ when prescribing
This brochure provides guidance and practical advice on which medicines GPs need to keep front of mind and actions to take when prescribing for Veterans with age-associated kidney function decline.

Kidney Health Australia Sick Day Plan: How to prevent acute kidney injury if you are sick or dehydrated
This fact sheet provides information for health professionals and consumers about how to prevent acute injury due to illness or dehydration. It includes a pneumonic for medicines to be avoided on sick days (SAD MANS).

Central Australian Rural Practitioners Association (CARPA) Standard Treatment Manual (7th edition)
This manual includes a collection of protocols for the management of common conditions seen in remote (mainly Aboriginal) health practices. It is an essential tool to support evidence-based practice in remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services.

Kimberly Aboriginal Medical Services (KAMS) and Western Australian Country Health Service (WACHS) Chronic Kidney Disease booklet This three-page pdf has key points about CKD: screening, assessment, management (including women of child-bearing age) and when to refer or discuss with a nephrologist.

Kimberly Renal Services Diagnostic pathway for chronic kidney disease in the Kimberly
Information presented on a single page to guide the diagnosis of CKD.

Menzies School of Health Research: Kidney Stories
A series of resources (books, brochures and posters) designed to educate Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory about CKD.

Kidney Health Australia My Kidney My Choice Decision Aid
This is a tool to support shared decision-making between patients and health professionals when deciding on treatment options for people with kidney failure. It includes information to guide the health professional with their discussion and a resource for the health professional to use together with their patient.

RACGP Cultural awareness and cultural safety training
This resource is a RACGP CPD-accredited online training module that aims to improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by enhancing the cultural awareness of GPs, general practice staff, medical students, primary health care staff, and other healthcare providers.

Teach-back method
Teach-Back is a simple yet effective communication tool used to check understanding. This website includes an online module and information presented via a video or, presentation format to learn about Teach-Back. The website also includes health literacy resources.