Lower Blood Pressure Might Reduce Dementia Risk

A meta-analysis of individual participant data from eligible observational studies suggested that use of any antihypertensive medications (AHM) with efficacy to lower blood pressure (BP) might reduce the risk for dementia among people with high BP. However, no evidence was found that a specific AHM drug class was more effective […]

Early Life Vascular Risk Linked to Brain Pathology Later

A prospective longitudinal cohort study in Britain revealed that early adulthood vascular risk is strongly associated with smaller whole-brain volume (WBV) and greater white matter–hyperintensity volume (WMHV) at age 69 to 71 years. The study assessed 502 participants in a birth cohort in 1946. Framingham Heart study–cardiovascular risk scores (FHS-CVS) […]

Bedtime BP-lowering Medications Work Better

A Spanish multicenter, controlled, prospective endpoint trial suggested that routinely taking blood pressure (BP)-lowering medications at bedtime, as opposed to upon waking, results in improved ambulatory BP (ABP) control and decreased occurrence of major cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. A total of 19 084 hypertensive patients (60.5 ± 13.7 years of age,  8470 women) […]

The Younger to Treat Familial Hypercholesterolemia the Better

A 20-year follow-up study in the Netherland concluded that initiation of statin therapy during childhood in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) slowed the progression of carotid intima–media thickness and reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Of the original cohort, 184 of 214 FH patients and 77 of 95 […]

Hypothermia Improved Neurologic Outcome for Cardiac Arrest with Nonshockable Rhythm

A French open-label, randomized, controlled trial showed that among patients with coma who had been resuscitated from cardiac arrest with nonshockable rhythm (asystole or pulseless electrical activity), the use of moderate therapeutic hypothermia at 33°C led to a higher percentage of patients who survived with a favorable neurologic outcome at […]

Optimism Linked to Lower CVD and Mortality Risk

A meta-analysis and systematic review suggested that optimism is associated with a lower risk of events of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and all-cause mortality. The analysis included 15 studies of 229 391 participants, in which 10 studies reported data on CVD events (including CVD mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, and/or new-onset angina) […]

Plant Protein Intake Linked to Lower Mortality

A Japanese prospective cohort study revealed that higher plant protein intake was associated with lower total and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality. The study included 70 696 participants aged 45 to 74 years (54.5% women) from January 1, 1995, through December 31, 1999, with follow-up completed December 31, 2016. Dietary intake […]