A multicenter, controlled, prospective endpoint trial confirmed that routinely taking blood pressure (BP)-lowering medications at bedtime, as opposed to upon waking, resulted in improved ambulatory BP control (significantly enhanced decrease in asleep BP and increased sleep-time relative BP decline, i.e. BP dipping) and markedly reduced major cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. […]
An analysis with critically reviewing the clinical outcomes of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of cholesterol reduction challenges the current approach to cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention through targeted reductions of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Drug treatment to reduce LDL-C to target levels (30% and 50% or more reduction for individuals […]
A US prospective observational cohort study revealed that higher plant protein intake was associated with reductions in risk of overall and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. The study included 237 036 men (57%, median ages 62.2) and 179 068 women (median age 62.0). Based on 6 009 748 person-years of observation, 77 614 deaths (18.7%; 49 297 […]
A global analysis of pooled population-based studies showed the global repositioning of lipid-related risk over the past nearly four decades, with non-optimal cholesterol shifting from high-income countries in northwestern Europe, north America and Australasia to countries in east and southeast Asia and Oceania. The analysis included 1,127 population-based studies that measured […]
A US study of 3 prospective cohorts suggests that greater adherence to various healthy eating patterns was consistently associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The final study sample included 74 930 women in the 1st cohort (mean baseline age, 50.2 years), 90 864 women in the 2nd cohort (mean baseline […]
A US cohort study revealed that beginning with a systolic blood pressure (SBP) level of 90 mm Hg, there was a stepwise increase in the prevalence of traditional atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk factors, coronary artery calcium, and the risk of ASCVD. The study included 1457 participants free of ASCVD […]
A cohort study in Taiwan suggested that among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) with prior ICH, non–vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) use was associated with lower rates of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and major bleeding compared with warfarin use, whereas the rate of ischemic stroke was similar. The study included […]
A prospective cohort study in England found that the prevalence ofasymptomatic intracranial stenosis (ICS) increased with age in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) and minor stroke, but did not increase the short- or medium-term risk of distal recurrent ischemic stroke in patients receiving standard medical treatment. The study included […]
A retrospective cohort study in the US suggested that myocardial injury was prevalent among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, and was associated with higher risk of mortality. The study included 2736 patients (median age 66.4 years, 59.6% men) with COVID-19 admitted between February 27th and April 12th, 2020 with troponin-I (normal […]
A randomized controlled trial in Australia suggested that a low dose metoprolol and aspirin for 6 weeks reduces physiological and psychological surrogate measures of cardiovascular risk in early bereavement. After assessment within 2 weeks of bereavement, spouses (n = 73) or parents (n = 12) of deceased (aged 66.1 ± 9.4 years, 55 females) were randomized […]