Irregular Sleep Linked to Higher CVD Risk

A UK device-based prospective study suggested that irregular sleep was associated with higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), regardless of whether individuals met sleep duration recommendations or not. The study included 72 269 individuals aged 40–79 years and followed for 7.8 years, without a previous history of MACE and […]

Intensive BP Control Benefits T2D Patients

A Chinese parallel design, randomized clinical trial showed that the incidence of major cardiovascular events among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) was significantly lower with intensive treatment targeting a systolic blood pressure (SBP) of less than 120 mm Hg than with standard treatment targeting a SBP of less than […]

Early-Life Sugar Restriction Protective on T2D and High Blood Pressure

A study comparing UK adults conceived just before or after sugar rationing ended found that early-life sugar rationing reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and high blood pressure (HBP). The sugar rationing ended in September 1953 restricted sugar intake to levels within current dietary guidelines, but consumption nearly doubled […]

Cold Weather Linked to Higher MI Risk

A Chinese nationwide case-crossover study revealed that lower temperatures were associated with higher risks of myocardial infarction (MI), and that the risk was more pronounced in MI with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) than that of MI with obstructive coronary artery disease (MI-CAD). The study included 83 784 MINOCA patients and […]

Brighter Nights and Darker Days Predict Higher Mortality Risk

A prospective cohort study suggests that personal exposure to brighter nights and darker days causes circadian disruption with poor health outcomes and increased mortality risk. Avoiding night light and seeking daylight may promote optimal health and longevity. From 2013 to 2016, 88,905 UK Biobank participants (mean age 62.4 years, 56.9% […]

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Par with Escitalopram for Anxiety Disorders

Both clinician-rated and patient-reported outcomes suggested that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) was well-tolerated with comparable effectiveness to the first-line medication escitalopram for patients with anxiety disorders in a US randomized clinical trial. The trial included 276 participants (women 75%, men 25%; mean age 33 years; Asian 19%, Black 15%, Hispanic […]

Key Messages of 2024 ESC Guidelines for High BP

The number of individuals with high blood pressure (BP) is increasing worldwide. The trajectory of BP control appears to be worsening in North America, some European countries, and elsewhere around the world. The risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) attributable to BP is on a continuous log-linear exposure variable scale, not […]

CRP, LDL Cholesterol, and Lipoprotein(a) Levels Predictive of CVD

A single combined measure of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a) levels among initially healthy U.S. women predicted incident cardiovascular events over a 30-year period. High-sensitivity CRP, LDL cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a) levels were measured at baseline in 27,939 healthy U.S. women with mean age of 54.7 […]

No Benefit to Stop Beta-Blockers After MI

A French multicenter, open label, randomized, noninferiority trial suggested that interruption of long-term beta-blocker treatment was not found to be noninferior to a strategy of beta-blocker continuation in patients with a history of myocardial infarction (MI). A total of 3698 MI patients (mean age 63.5 years, 17.2% women) were randomized […]

Plant vs Animal Fat on Mortality

A US prospective cohort study demonstrated that replacement of animal fat with an equivalent amount of plant fat, particularly fat from grains or vegetable oils, was associated with a lower mortality. The study enrolled 407 531 men and women (56.9% male; mean age 61.2 years) from 1995 to 1996 and followed […]