A 20-year cohort analysis of medical records in the UK revealed that blood pressure (BP) decreased for more than a decade before death in patients dying at 60 years and older. The analysis included 46 634 participants dying aged at least 60 years (51.7% female; mean age at death 82.4 years), […]
A retrospective analysis of heart failure (HF) patients in the US found that concurrent hemoconcentration and worsening renal function (WRF) identified a group with significantly improved post discharge survival. The analysis included 3061 patients hospitalized with HF. Hemoconcentration was defined as an increase in both hemoglobin and hematocrit, and WRF […]
A prospective biobank study concluded that genetic variants of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) were associated with altered high-density lipoprotein (HDL) metabolism but not lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and had no significant association with risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The study included 151 217 individuals aged 30 to 79 […]
An updated guideline for high blood pressure (BP) in adults has been released. BP progressively increases with age. Observational studies have demonstrated graded associations between higher systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) and increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly above a BP of 120/80 mm Hg. However, after […]
A blinded, multicenter randomized trial of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) versus a sham procedure for angina relief in the UK revealed that in patients with medically treated angina and severe coronary stenosis, PCI did not increase exercise time or improve symptoms. 230 patients with ischemic symptoms and severe (≥70%) single-vessel […]
The US Food and Drug Administration warns moderation on licorice, or liquorice, a low-growing shrub mostly grown for commercial use in Greece, Turkey, and Asia. It is in black licorice and has been used as a treatment for heartburn, stomach ulcers, bronchitis, sore throat, cough and some infections caused by […]
A population-based, prospective cohort study revealed that a trajectory of increasing disability became significantly steeper after stroke but not after myocardial infarction (MI). The study included 5888 individuals 65 years or older from 1989 to 2013, mean age was 72.8 years; 2495 were male. During a mean follow-up of 13 […]
In a prospective, population-based cohort analysis, mitochondrial DNA copy number is independently associated with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and may have clinical utility in CVD risk classification. The analysis included 21 870 participants (20 163 free from CVD at baseline, mean age 62.4 years, and 54.7% women) from 3 studies with a […]
The American Heart Association scientific statement systematically reviewed data on the potential benefits of meditation on cardiovascular risk. Neurophysiological and neuroanatomical studies demonstrate that meditation can have long‐standing effects on the brain, which provide some biological plausibility for beneficial consequences on the physiological basal state, physiological responses, and on cardiovascular […]
Two studies showed that there is no benefit of supplemental oxygen in nonhypoxic patients with suspected myocardial infarction (MI) or acute stroke. A total of 6629 patients with suspected MI and an oxygen saturation of 90% or higher were randomly assigned to receive either supplemental oxygen (6 liters per minute […]