News & Updates

As Hong Kong’s population ages, osteoporosis has emerged as a significant health concern, currently affecting an estimated 400,000 individuals. The rising incidence of osteoporotic or fragility fractures contributes to increased morbidity and mortality, creating a substantial burden on the healthcare system. At a scientific symposium, experts in cardiology, orthopaedic surgery, geriatrics, endocrinology, and anaesthesiology explored how a multidisciplinary approach can enhance the management of fragility fractures, particularly hip fractures. The discussions focused on optimizing care from the point of admission through to recovery, with an emphasis on postoperative prevention of imminent fractures using an osteoanabolic-first approach to improve patient outcomes.

Relaxed prescription requirements for add-on sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) now allow earlier use of these cardiorenal-protective therapies in eligible patients as the second antidiabetic medication after metformin. Dr Paul Lee and Dr David Lui, Specialists in Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism in Hong Kong, discussed how changes in SGLT2i prescription requirements may benefit patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who have chronic kidney disease (CKD) or established cardiovascular disease (CVD), and the role of SGLT2i (eg, empagliflozin) in cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome management.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is increasingly recognized to be closely linked to cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) conditions. As the population ages, patients with multiple comorbidities, including CKM syndrome and COPD, are commonly encountered in clinical practice across multiple specialties. A more coordinated effort and enhanced awareness are required for better management and outcome. At a symposium organized by the Federation of Medical Societies of Hong Kong (FMSHK) chaired by Dr Samuel Ka-Shun Fung, Executive Committee Member of FMSHK, Dr Ka-Chun Leung, Specialist in Nephrology of Tuen Mun Hospital, Dr Emmanuel Chun-Ka Wong of the Division of Cardiology, University of Hong Kong, and Dr Fanny Wai-San Ko of the Division of Respiratory Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, discussed how evolving multiorgan dysfunction, overlapping clinical presentations, and sequential treatment decisions shape diagnosis and management of these conditions. A case discussion of progression from chronic kidney disease (CKD) to worsening COPD and, subsequently, heart failure (HF) highlighted diagnostic and therapeutic complexities, and provided practice insights.

The Japanese Society of Hypertension Guidelines 2025 recommend angiotensin receptor–neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) as step 2 or step 3 treatment, highlighting its role in hypertension management in patients with comorbidities, including cardiac hypertrophy, chronic kidney disease and heart failure. Data from clinical trials, including those conducted in Asians, support these recommendations.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in the elderly and older adults with comorbidities may lead to death or severe complications that require hospitalization. At an industry-sponsored symposium during the Advances in Medicine 2026 conference, Dr Ken Ka-Pang Chan of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, discussed the role of vaccination and clinical impact of the recombinant adjuvanted RSVPreF3 vaccine, especially in adults with underlying high-risk conditions such as cardiovascular (CV) and metabolic disease, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).   

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a noncommunicable disease with increasing importance. Its pathophysiology interacts with cardiovascular (CV) and metabolic diseases, and extends to other neurological and respiratory disorders with clinically significant interplay. Despite its growing global burden, CKD remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. At a symposium in Hong Kong, a multidisciplinary panel highlighted the urgent need for earlier identification of CKD, integrated CV-kidney-metabolic (CKM) care, and timely implementation of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) — including sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i; eg, dapagliflozin) — to slow progression toward kidney failure and reduce CKD-related complications.

Polypharmacy is a well-recognized challenge in chronic kidney disease (CKD) management, driving nonadherence and accelerating disease progression. In an interview with MIMS Doctor, Professor Takashi Yokoo of Jikei University, Japan, discussed how multifunctional sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) help simplify treatment regimens based on his clinical experience with empagliflozin in patients with complex clinical profiles.

An 82-year-old retired physician with multiple cardiovascular (CV) risk factors presented with heart failure (HF). His medical history included hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hy­perlipidaemia, and stage 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) with estimat­ed glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 25 mL/min/1.73 m² and creatinine level of 350 μmol/L. Despite these comor­bidities, he was enjoying a good qual­ity of life and had recently been on a cruise. 

This is a case of a 64-year-old woman with pulmonary arterial hyper­tension (PAH) poorly controlled on dual therapy, who was intolerant of selexi­pag and unsuitable for lung transplan­tation.