Monthly Archives: August 2018


Aspirin for Primary Prevention Challenged

Findings of two randomized, placebo controlled clinical trials challenged the role of aspirin in primary prevention in a low-risk population and in patients of diabetes. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study was done in seven countries. Between July 5, 2007, and Nov 15, 2016, 12 546 eligible patients aged 55 years […]


Myocardial Injury vs Infarction

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 […]


No Alcohol Amount Is Safe

A comprehensive analysis of global burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors concluded that alcohol use is a leading risk factor for disease burden worldwide, contributes to health loss from many causes and exacts its toll across the lifespan, and the safest level of drinking is none. The analysis used […]


Glutamine Effective and Safe in IBS-D

A small randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in the US showed that oral dietary glutamine supplements effective and safe in patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) with intestinal hyperpermeability following an enteric infection. Participants (mean age 31.7, approximately 70% women, and 80% white) were randomized to glutamine (5 g/t.i.d.) or placebo […]


Cholesterol Linked to Higher CVD Mortality

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% […]


Moderate Carbohydrates Intake Linked to Lower Mortality

A prospective US cohort study and meta-analysis suggested that both high and low percentages of carbohydrate diets were associated with increased mortality, with minimal risk observed at 50–55% carbohydrate intake. The association was modified by the source of food, with higher mortality when carbohydrates were exchanged for animal-derived fat or […]


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 […]


Deprescribing Proton Pump Inhibitors

Canadian professional groups recommended deprescribing proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in adults who have completed a minimum of 4 weeks of PPI treatment for heartburn or mild to moderate gastroesophageal reflux disease or esophagitis, and whose symptoms are resolved. Deprescirbing by decreasing the daily dose or stopping and changing to on-demand […]


Healthy Diet Linked to Lower Cancer Risk

A French prospective population-based cohort study suggests that healthy diet by following dietary recommendations could significantly contribute to cancer prevention. The study investigated the associations between several nutritional scores and overall, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer risk in a large prospective population-based cohort. The study included 41,543 participants aged ≥40 […]