TOPLINE: Early introduction of atorvastatin vs placebo in patients with hypertension demonstrated significant benefits in reducing cardiovascular disease events, such as non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and coronary heart disease (CHD) events, over a 20-year follow-up period. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analysed data from the ASCOT lipid-lowering arm study and included 4605 UK participants with hypertension, at least … Read more
Wearable technologies such as smartwatches are providing physicians with new ways to monitor their patients’ health and detect cardiovascular risk factors. Metrics like daily step totals and average resting heart rate are already being used to predict cardiovascular health. Zhanlin Chen, a medical student at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, however, has developed a new … Read more
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Individuals testing positive for human papillomavirus (HPV) had a 40% greater risk for overall cardiovascular disease (CVD) than HPV-negative individuals, based on the data from nearly 250,000 patients. The findings were presented at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session and Expo. “Although high-risk HPV is known to play a role in anogenital cancers, … Read more
TOPLINE: Among adults aged 80 years or older on antihypertensive medications, intensive systolic blood pressure (SBP) control (below 130 mm Hg) was associated with a significantly lower risk for cardiovascular mortality than SBP of 130-160 mm Hg. METHODOLOGY: Current guidelines advocate for more intensive BP control but remain inconsistent and lack strong evidence for adults … Read more
Point-of-care (POC) testing can significantly increase routine lipid screening of preteen patients, according to findings from a study published in Pediatrics. At the beginning of the study, testing rates at three pediatric primary care sites in Pennsylvania were between 1% and 10% among preteens aged between 9 and 11 years, despite recommendations from the American … Read more
TOPLINE: Aggressive ablation provided more favorable outcomes at 12 months than regular ablation in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). Patients undergoing aggressive ablation also had enhanced AF and atrial tachycardia (AT)–free survival. METHODOLOGY: Previous studies suggest using aggressive ablation for persistent AF, but real-world evidence with the approach is lacking. Researchers conducted a retrospective … Read more
New research suggests clinicians should warn patients about the potential of cannabis to harm cardiovascular health. But how big a risk cannabis presents depends on the amount used and how much stock should be placed in observational studies. The link between cannabinoids and cardiovascular disease, which used to be limited to evidence from preclinical studies, … Read more
Higher, long-term butter consumption is linked with increased total and cancer mortality, whereas plant-based oils may offer protective benefits, according to a prospective study of more than 200,000 adults. These findings suggest that choosing plant-based oils over butter could help prevent premature deaths, lead author Yu Zhang, MBBS, of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of … Read more
Come Fly With Me: Hidden CVD Risks in Airline Pilots? Medscape Source link