Cardiovascular Diseases


Right Ventricular Dysfunction Prognostic

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 […]


Sodium Intake Linked to CVD

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 […]


The Lower LDL-C the Better

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), […]


Midlife Orthostatic Hypotension Linked to Dementia and Stroke

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 […]


Water Drinking Effective for Orthostatic Hypotension

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 […]


One Aspirin Dose Does Not Fit All

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 […]


Late-life BP Linked to CVD and AD

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 Syncope

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 […]


Older Fibromuscular Dysplasia Patients Fared Better

A US registry for fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) revealed that patients with multifocal FMD diagnosed at an older age may have a more benign phenotype. For a total of 1016 patients included in the analysis as of December 15, 2016, 170 (16.7%) were 65 years or older at the time of […]


Genetic Association Estimate for Lipoprotein(a)-Lowering Therapies

A mendelian randomization analysis revealed that Lipoprotein(a) [ Lp(a)]concentration must be lowered by approximately 100 mg/dL to achieve the same reduction in coronary heart disease (CHD) risk as can be achieved by lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level by 38.67 mg/dL. The analysis involved more than 80 000 patients and more […]