Major world cardiology associations have updated and standardized what defines a heart attack and have added the concept of “myocardial injury.” Myocardial injury is defined as an elevated cardiac troponin. The myocardial injury is considered acute if there is rise and/or fall of troponin values. Acute myocardial infarction is defined […]
A longitudinal study in the US revealed that low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ≥160 mg/dL were independently associated with a 50% to 80% increased relative risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in a low risk cohort with long-term follow-up. The study included 36 375 participants (72% […]
The secondary analysis of a US community-based cohort study suggested that right ventricular (RV) dysfunction played an important and underrecognized role in the progression to heart failure (HF). This study included 1004 elderly participants (mean age 76 years, 385 men, and 121 black) who underwent both 3-dimensional and 2-dimensional RV […]
The ongoing prospective urban rural epidemiology study in 21 countries suggested that sodium intake was associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and strokes in communities where mean intake was greater than 5 g/day, and CVD decreased with increasing potassium intake in all countries. The study included 95 767 participants in 369 communities […]
A meta-analysis revealed that there is a consistent relative risk reduction in major vascular events per further reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in patient populations starting as low as a median of 1.6 mmol/L (63 mg/dL) and achieving levels as low as a median of 0.5 mmol/L (21 mg/dL), […]
An US prospective cohort study revealed that orthostatic hypotension (OH) in midlife was independently associated with incident dementia and ischemic stroke. The study included 11,709 participants without a history of coronary heart disease or stroke at the baseline examination (1987–1989, mean age 54). OH was defined as a drop in […]
An UK study found that bolus water drinking is superior to other nonpharmacological interventions for older people with orthostatic hypotension (OH). A total of 150 orthostatic challenges were performed in 25 older people (age 60–92 years). The response rate (of participants whose systolic blood pressure [SBP] drop improved by ≥10 […]
A pooled analysis of individual patient data suggested that low doses of aspirin (75–100 mg) were only effective in preventing vascular events in patients weighing less than 70 kg, and higher doses of aspirin were only effective in patients weighing 70 kg or more. The analysis included 117 279 participants in […]
A US prospective clinical-pathologic study revealed that late in life both higher average and faster decline in blood pressure (BP) are related to cardiovascular and/or Alzheimer disease (AD). The study included 1,288 persons (mean age at death = 88.6 years; 65% women, mean follow-up 8 years). Each participant had BP […]
Reflex syncopes include vasovagal, carotid sinus, and situational syncope, share a common pathophysiology: an abrupt slowdown of the heart rate and a dilatation of the blood vessels leading to hypo-perfusion of the brain. Pain, seeing blood, emotional reaction, and prolonged standing are triggers of vasovagal syncope. Situational is triggered by […]