Early-Life Sugar Restriction Protective on T2D and High Blood Pressure

A study comparing UK adults conceived just before or after sugar rationing ended found that early-life sugar rationing reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and high blood pressure (HBP). The sugar rationing ended in September 1953 restricted sugar intake to levels within current dietary guidelines, but consumption nearly doubled […]


Cold Weather Linked to Higher MI Risk

A Chinese nationwide case-crossover study revealed that lower temperatures were associated with higher risks of myocardial infarction (MI), and that the risk was more pronounced in MI with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) than that of MI with obstructive coronary artery disease (MI-CAD). The study included 83 784 MINOCA patients and […]


Brighter Nights and Darker Days Predict Higher Mortality Risk

A prospective cohort study suggests that personal exposure to brighter nights and darker days causes circadian disruption with poor health outcomes and increased mortality risk. Avoiding night light and seeking daylight may promote optimal health and longevity. From 2013 to 2016, 88,905 UK Biobank participants (mean age 62.4 years, 56.9% […]


Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Par with Escitalopram for Anxiety Disorders

Both clinician-rated and patient-reported outcomes suggested that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) was well-tolerated with comparable effectiveness to the first-line medication escitalopram for patients with anxiety disorders in a US randomized clinical trial. The trial included 276 participants (women 75%, men 25%; mean age 33 years; Asian 19%, Black 15%, Hispanic […]


Key Messages of 2024 ESC Guidelines for High BP

The number of individuals with high blood pressure (BP) is increasing worldwide. The trajectory of BP control appears to be worsening in North America, some European countries, and elsewhere around the world. The risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) attributable to BP is on a continuous log-linear exposure variable scale, not […]


CRP, LDL Cholesterol, and Lipoprotein(a) Levels Predictive of CVD

A single combined measure of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a) levels among initially healthy U.S. women predicted incident cardiovascular events over a 30-year period. High-sensitivity CRP, LDL cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a) levels were measured at baseline in 27,939 healthy U.S. women with mean age of 54.7 […]


No Benefit to Stop Beta-Blockers After MI

A French multicenter, open label, randomized, noninferiority trial suggested that interruption of long-term beta-blocker treatment was not found to be noninferior to a strategy of beta-blocker continuation in patients with a history of myocardial infarction (MI). A total of 3698 MI patients (mean age 63.5 years, 17.2% women) were randomized […]


Urine Metals Predictive of CVD and Mortality

A US prospective study indicates that urinary metal levels are associated with increased mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. The study included a racially diverse population of 6599 participants (mean age, 62.1 years; 53% female) with urinary metals available at baseline (2000 to 2001) and followed through December 2019. During […]