Yearly Archives: 2021


Covid Vaccine-Associated Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia

Rare and unusual adverse thrombotic events and thrombocytopenia may be associated with COVID-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson (J&J), so called vaccine-associated immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT). VITT resembles autoimmune heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, a well-known prothrombotic disorder caused by platelet-activating antibodies that recognize multimolecular complexes between cationic platelet factor 4 […]


High Glycemic Index Diets Linked to CVD and Death Risk

A study in a large, geographically diverse population confirmed that diets with a high glycemic index were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death. The study included 137,851 participants between the ages of 35 and 70 years living on five continents, with 8780 deaths and 8252 […]


ACEIs/ARBs May Be Protective for COVID-19 Patients

A systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) may be associated with protective effects for patients with COVID-19. The analysis included 52 studies that evaluated clinical outcomes among 101 949 total patients, of whom 26.0% were receiving ACEIs or ARBs. When adjusted for […]


Personalized Exercise Prescription for High Blood Pressure

The European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) and the ESC Council on Hypertension have proposed that type of exercise can be prescribed according to initial blood pressure (BP) level to optimize lifestyle interventions for the prevention and treatment of high BP.  A systematic review of meta-analyses was performed to determine […]


Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to CVD

A US prospective cohort study supports that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and mortality. The study included 3,003 adults free from CVD with valid dietary data at baseline and followed from 1991 to 2014/2017. Ultra-processed foods were defined according to […]


Cancer and CVD Share Risk Factors

A prospective study revealed that cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, 10-year atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD) risk score, and natriuretic peptide concentrations are associated with increased risk of future cancer. Conversely, a heart healthy lifestyle is associated with a lower risk of future cancer. The study included 20,305 participants, mean age 50 […]


Fish Intake Linked to Lower Risk in CVD Patients

A pooled analysis of individual participant data of 4 international cohort studies suggested that fish intake of 2 servings weekly is associated with lower risk of major cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality among patients with prior CVD. The analysis involved 191 558 participants with a mean age of 54.1 years, 47.9% […]


Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality

Results from 2 prospective cohort studies of US men and women and a meta-analysis of 26 cohort studies found an inverse association between fruit and vegetable intake and mortality up to approximately 5 servings/day.The 2 prospective cohort studies included 66719 women (1984–2014) and 42016 men (1986–2014), and the dose-response meta-analysis […]


Muscle Pain with Statin and Nocebo Effect

A series of randomized, placebo-controlled n-of-1 trials (a randomized trial in individual patients) found no overall effect of atorvastatin 20 mg on muscle symptoms compared with placebo in participants who had previously reported severe muscle symptoms when taking statins. A total of 200 participants who had recently stopped or were […]


Glycemic Index Linked to CVD and Death Globally

A global study concluded that a diet with a high glycemic index was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death. The study included 137,851 participants between the ages of 35 and 70 years living on five continents, with a median follow-up of 9.5 years. Country-specific food-frequency […]