CRH Nephrologists and Cardiologists Collaborate to Solve Clinical Challenges

As the director of Columbus Regional Health (CRH) Nephrology  & Hypertension, Deepak Jasuja, M.D., a nephrologist, collaborates with a team of cardiologists to treat patients with acute and chronic kidney diseases. Dr. Jasuja explained the critical interplay between kidney health and heart health. 

Q: How are kidney health and heart health intertwined?

Kidneys and the heart are like that married couple who can’t function without each other — when one’s unhappy, the other definitely knows about it. The heart pumps blood to the kidneys; the kidneys filter that blood and help regulate blood pressure, salt and fluid. If your kidneys stop playing their part, your heart ends up swimming in fluid and working overtime. And if your heart’s struggling, the kidneys don’t get the blood flow they need and start slacking off, too. It’s a high-stakes buddy system — break one, and the other’s in dysfunction.

Q: Why is high blood pressure such a risk factor for kidney disease?

High blood pressure (hypertension) puts constant stress on the delicate blood vessels in the kidneys that are responsible for filtering waste and balancing fluids, causing them to become damaged and scarred. This reduces the kidneys’ ability to filter effectively and can lead to chronic kidney disease. Managing blood pressure is one of the most important ways we can protect kidney health.

Q: What other steps can you take to protect your kidneys and heart?

• Monitor your numbers — cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure.
• Take your blood pressure meds like they’re your morning coffee.
• Watch your diet — eat less salt and less sugar and avoid fast food.
• Move your body — yes, even if your couch loves you back.
• Don’t smoke. Both your kidneys and your heart will send you a thank-you card.
• Don’t fall for “detox teas” — our kidneys are the original detox system. 
• For the love of filtration, stay hydrated!

Q: Could you describe how nephrologists and cardiologists at CRH work together to treat patients?

Our partnership with cardiologists is a prime example of how breaking silos leads to better outcomes. We collaborate closely, particularly in managing complex conditions like heart failure and cardiorenal syndrome, where the heart and kidneys are essentially in a dysfunctional long-distance relationship.

When a patient with heart failure develops worsening kidney function — or vice versa — it takes true teamwork to find that clinical “Goldilocks zone” of fluid balance, blood pressure control, and medication titration. 

Q: Could you relate a patient success story?

One patient came to see me several years ago whose kidney function was hovering at just 15%. He was close to starting dialysis, but he had a brother who had lived with one kidney for 20 years, and he didn’t feel the urgency of his situation. 

I explained that, unlike his brother, both of his kidneys were struggling. I didn’t want to scare him, but I did want to empower him. We adjusted his medications, managed his blood pressure more precisely and most importantly, he became fully engaged in his own care. He avoided dialysis, gained back control over his health, and has stayed stable for years now.

Stories like that remind me why we do this — not just to treat lab results, but to partner with people, shift their mindset and rewrite what they thought was inevitable. It’s not just nephrology and cardiology — it’s belief, education, and persistence.