Ann Pharm Fr. 2026 Apr 2:S0003-4509(26)00042-8. doi: 10.1016/j.pharma.2026.03.004. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health issue, affecting nearly 10% of the adult population, with a significant proportion of diagnoses occurring at advanced stages, often requiring renal replacement therapy. Given the high morbidity and mortality associated with CKD, particularly due to cardiovascular and metabolic complications, there is a critical need to optimize prevention and management at every stage of the disease. CKD patients are particularly complex, owing to multiple comorbidities and frequent polypharmacy, positioning the pharmacist at the center of collaboration between general practitioners and nephrologists. This narrative review explores this collaboration from three perspectives: first, in primary care, where general practitioners play a key role in the early detection of CKD and referral to nephrologists, while community pharmacists play a key role in medication safety, optimization, and patient education. The pharmacist, beyond his participation in the dissemination of knowledge about CKD, could also participate in CKD screening campaigns, in close coordination with medical biologists responsible for generating and interpreting the laboratory data required for diagnosis and follow-up. Second, within dialysis centers, nephrologists oversee the comprehensive management of patients and work in synergy with hospital pharmacists, who are responsible for water quality, management of dialysis-related medical devices, and medication safety in a technically complex environment. Finally, the review highlights the contribution of pharmacoepidemiology, a field where nephrologists and pharmacologists combine their expertise to analyze drug utilization and safety in a population often excluded from clinical trials, with the goal of tailoring prescriptions to real-world practice. This multidisciplinary cooperation appears essential to ensure a safe continuum of care for patients with CKD.
PMID:41935780 | DOI:10.1016/j.pharma.2026.03.004