CVD


2021 Guideline for the Secondary Prevention of Stroke

The 2021 secondary stroke prevention guideline from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association: 1. Recommendations for the diagnostic workup to define ischemic stroke etiology. 2. Management of vascular risk factors remains extremely important, including (but not limited to) diabetes, smoking cessation, lipids, and especially hypertension. 3. Lifestyle factors: Low-salt and […]


Medication May Be Offered for Mild High Blood Pressure

Both a scientific statement from the American Heart Association and an individual participant-level data meta-analysis support that pharmacological blood pressure (BP) lowering is effective for primary and secondary prevention of major cardiovascular disease (CVD), even at BP levels currently not considered for treatment. The statement provides evidence suggesting that in […]


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 […]


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% […]


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 […]


Mind-Heart-Body Connection

A scientific statement from the American Heart Association revealed that there are good data showing clear associations between psychological health and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and risk, so called the mind-heart-body connection; there is increasing evidence that psychological health may be causally linked to biological, behavioral and psychosocial mechanisms that contribute […]


CVD Risk High while “Fat but Fit”

A Spanish observational study suggests that, although physical activity (PA) mitigates partly the detrimental effects of overweight/obesity on the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), excess body weight per se is associated with a remarkable increase in the prevalence of major risk factors. The data from 527 662 participants [32% female; mean […]