Yearly Archives: 2020


2020 ACS Guideline on Diet and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention

The American Cancer Society just updated the guideline on diet and physical activity for cancer prevention, which is consistent with guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association for the prevention of coronary heart disease and diabetes as well as for general health promotion. Recommendations for individuals: […]


Shifted Global Epicenter of High Cholesterol

A global analysis of pooled population-based studies showed the global repositioning of lipid-related risk over the past nearly four decades, with non-optimal cholesterol shifting from high-income countries in northwestern Europe, north America and Australasia to countries in east and southeast Asia and Oceania. The analysis included 1,127 population-based studies that measured […]


Adherence to Healthy Eating Matters

A US study of 3 prospective cohorts suggests that greater adherence to various healthy eating patterns was consistently associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The final study sample included 74 930 women in the 1st cohort (mean baseline age, 50.2 years), 90 864 women in the 2nd cohort (mean baseline […]


CVD Risk Increased with Normal Range SBP

A US cohort study revealed that beginning with a systolic blood pressure (SBP) level of 90 mm Hg, there was a stepwise increase in the prevalence of traditional atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk factors, coronary artery calcium, and the risk of ASCVD. The study included 1457 participants free of ASCVD […]


Medical Therapy, Carotid Endarterectomy on Par in Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis

A US comparative effectiveness study suggests that, given the up-front perioperative risks associated with carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and the reduced benefit derived from revascularization, initial medical therapy may be an acceptable treatment strategy for asymptomatic carotid stenosis. The study included 5221 patients who received carotid imaging between January 1, 2005, […]


NOACs Safer in AF with Prior ICH

A cohort study in Taiwan suggested that among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) with prior ICH, non–vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) use was associated with lower rates of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and major bleeding compared with warfarin use, whereas the rate of ischemic stroke was similar. The study included […]


Benign Prognosis of Asymptomatic Intracranial Stenosis

A prospective cohort study in England found that the prevalence ofasymptomatic intracranial stenosis (ICS) increased with age in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) and minor stroke, but did not increase the short- or medium-term risk of distal recurrent ischemic stroke in patients receiving standard medical treatment. The study included […]


COVID-19 Positivity Not Higher in ACEI or ARB Users

A US retrospective cohort study found no association between angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) use and COVID-19 test positivity. The study included 18 472 patients tested for COVID-19 (mean age 49 years, 40% male, and 69% white), 12.4% were taking either ACEIs or ARBs. A positive […]


Myocardial Injury Common and Risky in COVID-19

A retrospective cohort study in the US suggested that myocardial injury was prevalent among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, and was associated with higher risk of mortality. The study included 2736 patients (median age 66.4 years, 59.6% men) with COVID-19 admitted between February 27th and April 12th, 2020 with troponin-I (normal […]


Hydroxychloroquine plus Azithromycin May be Risky

International cohort studies suggest that adding azithromycin to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) treatment may increase heart failure and cardiovascular mortality, potentially due to synergistic effects on QT length of ECG. Severe adverse events associated with HCQ-azithromycin were compared to HCQ-amoxicillin in rheumatoid arthritis patients aged 18+ and followed up over 30 days. […]