Update of Supplemental Vitamins and Minerals for CAD

An update of the previous 2018 systematic review and meta-analysis of vitamin and mineral supplementation on cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes and all-cause mortality shows similar findings for preventive benefits from both folic acid and B vitamins for stroke, and an increased risk with niacin (with statin) for all-cause mortality. In […]

Alcohol Consumption Linked to AF Risk

A European cohort study revealed that even modest habitual alcohol intake of 1.2 drinks/day was associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). The study followed 107 845 individuals (median age 47.8 years, 48.3% men) from five community-based cohorts across Europe. The median alcohol consumption was 3 g/day. During median […]

Colchicine Reduced CAD Risk

A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials concluded that colchicine treatment may reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The analysis included 5 randomized controlled trials with follow-up duration ≥6 months, comprising a total of 11,790 patients with CAD. Compared with placebo or no treatment, […]

Make Every Bite Count with the Dietary Guidelines

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans are out. For the first time the Guidelines provide recommendations by life stage, from birth through older adulthood, while focusing on dietary patterns and recognizing that more than half of adults have one or more diet-related chronic diseases. The guidelines: for about the first […]

Conservative Management Safer for Inpatient High BP

A US cohort study suggested that in the absence of evidence of end-organ damage, conservative management of inpatient high blood pressure (BP) was associated with improved outcomes compared with more intensive management. The study included 22 834 adults hospitalized for noncardiovascular diagnoses from January 1 to December 31, 2017 (mean age, […]

Physical Activity Lowered Sedentary Death Risk

A harmonized meta-analysis concluded that longer sedentary time is associated with higher mortality in less active individuals when measured by accelerometry. About 30–40min of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) per day attenuate the association between sedentary time and risk of death. The analysis included 44370 middle-aged and older men and women […]

Blood Metabolites Linked to Stroke Risk

Ten metabolites from seven prospective cohort studies were found to be associated with risk of stroke. The studies included 1,791 incident stroke events among 38,797 participants. Independent of traditional risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and body mass index, amino acid histidine (hazard ratio [HR] per standard deviation [SD] = […]

LDL-C Significance in ASCVD Challenged

Two studies suggest that low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) may not to be the main lipid contributor to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The study in Spain included 6901 subjects in the high-risk primary prevention trial population (mean age: 67 years; body mass index: 30 kg/m2; 43% men; 48% with diabetes) with […]

Vegan Diet Effective in Reducing Weight

A US randomized clinical trial revealed that a low-fat plant-based diet is effective in reducing body weight and increasing insulin sensitivity and postprandial metabolism. A total of 244 participants with body mass index of 28 to 40 (87% female, 48% White, mean age 54.4 years) were randomized in a 1:1 […]

Key Lifestyle Factors in Gout Prevention

A US prospective cohort study suggests that most gout cases could potentially be prevented by achieving and maintaining a normal weight, eating a DASH-style diet, and avoiding alcohol consumption and diuretic use. Men with obesity may not benefit from other modifications unless weight loss is addressed. The study included 44 654 […]