A prospective study to assess the safety of MRI at a magnetic field strength of 1.5 Tesla in patients with a pacemaker (58%) or an implantable cardioverter–defibrillator (42%) that was not considered to be MRI-conditional (termed a “legacy” device) showed no long-term clinically significant adverse events. The study included 1509 […]
A study revealed that many middle-aged individuals free of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) have atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis presence and extent was associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and glycosylated hemoglobin levels (HbA1c). The study evaluated 1,779 (45.0 ± 4.1 years old, 50.3% women) participants. CVRF freedom was defined as no current […]
A population-based study in the US did not find evidence of a survival advantage for obesity among persons with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD). The study used data from an ongoing, nationally representative longitudinal survey of more than 30,000 people age 50 years and older initiated in 1992, with follow-up through […]
An open-label, cluster-randomized trial in the UK showed that intensive weight management achieved remission of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The trial included 306 patients from 49 general practices between July 25, 2014, and Aug 5, 2017. The patients aged 20–65 years who had been diagnosed with T2D within the past […]
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 meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials concluded that healthy lifestyle modifications (LSM, eating healthier diets and exercising) successfully reduced diabetes incidence and sustained for several years in adults at risk for diabetes. The analysis included 43 studies published between January 1, 1990, and January 1, 2015; 49 029 participants at risk […]
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 […]