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Background: Diabetes mellitus is a major public health problem in the United States. We assess the prevalence of diabetes in Dallas County, quantify the association between diabetes and subclinical cardiovascular disease, and assess the use of evidence-based cardiovascular disease risk-modifying therapies. Methods: This study uses data from 3392 participants aged 30 to 65 years from the Dallas Heart Study, a probability-based, multiethnic sample of residents living in Dallas County, Texas. Three primary outcomes were examined: (1) diabetes prevalence, (2) adjusted odds ratios for detectable coronary calcium stratified by diabetes diagnosis status, and (3) rates of use of evidence-based cardiovascular disease risk-modifying therapies among subjects with diabetes stratified by diabetes diagnosis status. Results: The estimated prevalence of diabetes in Dallas County was 7.8%, with >40% of diabetic patients undiagnosed before participation in the Dallas Heart Study. Both previously diagnosed and previously undiagnosed diabetes were independently associated with the presence of coronary artery calcium (diagnosed: OR 3.55, 95% CI 1.56-8.05) (undiagnosed: OR 2.98, 95% CI 1.39-6.39). The rates of use of aspirin, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and statins were suboptimal, and blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol targets were rarely met, especially among subjects with previously undiagnosed diabetes. Conclusions: Diabetes is prevalent and is associated with subclinical cardiovascular disease; this association is present even at the time of diagnosis. Despite the cardiovascular risk associated with diabetes, evidence-based risk-modifying therapies continue to be underused, and therapeutic targets remain unmet, especially among people unaware of their diabetes diagnosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Hypertension affects 1 billion individuals worldwide and is an independent risk factor for death after acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Methods: We examined the prevalence and medical treatment of hypertension among 15904 ACS patients randomized in the SYMPHONY and 2nd SYMPHONY trials. Analyses were performed overall and according to sex for the United States and across international practice. Multivariable models identified factors associated with use of antihypertensive medication classes and examined the association of hypertension and sex with mortality. Results: In the United States, hypertension was more prevalent in women than in men, overall (63% vs 50%) and within every decile of age. Hypertensive women more often received calcium-channel blockers (35% vs 30%) and diuretics (33% vs 19%) and less often received β-blockers (51% vs 57%). Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor use was similar (35% vs 34%). Women received multiple agents more frequently than did men: 2 agents, 35% vs 30%; ≥3 agents, 16% vs 13%. Female sex independently predicted drug-class use only for diuretics. Mortality was higher in hypertensive women than in hypertensive men; after multivariable adjustment, mortality was similar without evidence of a differential association between hypertension and mortality according to sex. Although there was international variation in the use of individual classes of agents, the overall findings by sex were similar across regions. Conclusion: Hypertension is more prevalent in women than in men with ACS, and its medical management varies by sex, but its association with mortality is similar. Opportunities exist to improve medical therapy and outcomes in women with hypertension. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. These high-risk patients benefit from aggressive risk factor management, with blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol treatment, glycemic control, kidney protection, and lifestyle intervention. There are several recommendation and guideline documents across cardiology, endocrinology, nephrology, and general medicine professional societies from the United States and Europe with recommendations for cardiovascular risk reduction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Although there are some noteworthy differences, particularly in risk stratification, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and blood pressure treatment targets, and the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, overall there is considerable alignment across recommendations from different professional societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetes is associated with abnormalities in cardiac remodeling and high risk of heart failure (HF).Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and prognostic implications of diabetes with cardiomyopathy (DbCM) among community-dwelling individuals.Methods: Adults without prevalent cardiovascular disease or HF were pooled from 3 cohort studies (ARIC [Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities], CHS [Cardiovascular Health Study], CRIC [Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort]). Among participants with diabetes, DbCM was defined using different definitions: 1) least restrictive: ≥1 echocardiographic abnormality (left atrial enlargement, left ventricle hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction); 2) intermediate restrictive: ≥2 echocardiographic abnormalities; and 3) most restrictive: elevated N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels (>125 in normal/overweight or >100 pg/mL in obese) plus ≥2 echocardiographic abnormalities. Adjusted Fine-Gray models were used to evaluate the risk of HF.Results: Among individuals with diabetes (2,900 of 10,208 included), the prevalence of DbCM ranged from 67.0% to 11.7% in the least and most restrictive criteria, respectively. Higher fasting glucose, body mass index, and age as well as worse kidney function were associated with higher risk of DbCM. The 5-year incidence of HF among participants with DbCM ranged from 8.4%-12.8% in the least and most restrictive definitions, respectively. Compared with euglycemia, DbCM was significantly associated with higher risk of incident HF with the highest risk observed for the most restrictive definition of DbCM (HR: 2.55 [95% CI: 1.69-3.86]; least restrictive criteria HR: 1.99 [95% CI: 1.50-2.65]). A similar pattern of results was observed across cohort studies, across sex and race subgroups, and among participants without hypertension or obesity.Conclusions: Regardless of the criteria used to define cardiomyopathy, DbCM identifies a high-risk subgroup for developing HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multiple epidemiological studies from Europe and Asia have demonstrated increased cardiovascular risks associated with isolated elevation of home blood pressure (BP) or masked hypertension (MH). Previous studies have not addressed cardiovascular outcomes associated with MH and white-coat hypertension (WCH) in the general population in the United States.Objectives: The goal of this study was to determine hypertensive target organ damage and adverse cardiovascular outcomes associated with WCH (high clinic BP, ≥140/90 mm Hg; normal home BP, <135/85 mm Hg), MH (high home BP, ≥135/85 mm Hg; normal clinic BP, <140/90 mm Hg), and sustained hypertension (high home and clinic BP) in the DHS (Dallas Heart Study), a large, multiethnic, probability-based population cohort.Methods: Associations among WCH, MH, sustained hypertension, and aortic pulsed wave velocity by magnetic resonance imaging; urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio; and cystatin C were evaluated at study baseline. Then, associations between WCH and MH with incident cardiovascular outcomes (coronary heart disease, stroke, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and cardiovascular death) over a median follow-up period of 9 years were assessed.Results: The study cohort comprised 3,027 subjects (50% African Americans). The sample-weighted prevalence rates of WCH and MH were 3.3% and 17.8%, respectively. Both WCH and MH were independently associated with increased aortic pulsed wave velocity, cystatin C, and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio. Both WCH (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.09; 95% confidence interval: 1.05 to 4.15) and MH (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.03; 95% confidence interval: 1.36 to 3.03) were independently associated with higher cardiovascular events compared with the normotensive group, even after adjustment for traditional cardiovascular risk factors.Conclusions: In a multiethnic U.S. population, both WCH and MH were independently associated with increased aortic stiffness, renal injury, and incident cardiovascular events. Because MH is common and associated with an adverse cardiovascular profile, home BP monitoring should be routinely performed among U.S. adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The study sought to determine the 99th percentile upper reference limit for the high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T assay (hs-cTnT) in 3 large independent cohorts. Background: The presently recommended 14 ng/l cut point for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction using the hs-cTnT assay was derived from small studies of presumably healthy individuals, with relatively little phenotypic characterization. Methods: Data were included from 3 well-characterized population-based studies: the Dallas Heart Study (DHS), the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, and the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS). Within each cohort, reference subcohorts were defined excluding individuals with recent hospitalization, overt cardiovascular disease, and kidney disease (subcohort 1), and further excluding those with subclinical structural heart disease (subcohort 2). Data were analyzed stratified by age, sex, and race. Results: The 99th percentile values for the hs-cTnT assay in DHS, ARIC, and CHS were 18, 22, and 36 ng/l (subcohort 1) and 14, 21, and 28 ng/l (subcohort 2), respectively. These differences in 99th percentile values paralleled age differences across cohorts. Analyses within sex/age strata yielded similar results between cohorts. Within each cohort, 99th percentile values increased with age and were higher in men. More than 10% of men 65 to 74 years of age with no cardiovascular disease in our study had cardiac troponin T values above the current myocardial infarction threshold. Conclusions: Use of a uniform 14 ng/l cutoff for the hs-cTnT assay may lead to over-diagnosis of myocardial infarction, particularly in men and the elderly. Clinical validation is needed of new age- and sex-specific cutoff values for this assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The goal of this study was to investigate the association between natriuretic peptides and body fat distribution in a multiethnic cohort. Background: Natriuretic peptides stimulate lipolysis, reduce weight gain, and promote adipocyte browning in animal models, but data are lacking in humans. Methods: A total of 2,619 participants without heart failure in the Dallas Heart Study underwent measurements of 1) B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP); and 2) body fat distribution by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and magnetic resonance imaging. Cross-sectional associations of natriuretic peptides with adiposity phenotypes were examined after adjustment for age, sex, race, comorbidities, and body mass index. Results: Median BNP and NT-proBNP levels in the study cohort (mean age 44 years; 56% women, 48% African Americans, 32% obese) were 3.0 and 28.1 pg/ml, respectively. Natriuretic peptide levels above the median were associated with a more favorable body fat profile and less insulin resistance, including lower visceral fat, liver fat, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index, and increased lower body fat and higher adiponectin (p < 0.05 for each). In multivariable analyses, NT-proBNP remained inversely associated with visceral fat (beta coefficient = −0.08; p < 0.0001) and liver fat (beta coefficient = −0.14; p < 0.0001) and positively associated with lower body fat (beta coefficient = 0.07; p < 0.0001) independent of age, sex, race, and obesity status; findings were similar with BNP. Adjustment for body composition, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index, circulating androgens, and adipocytokines did not attenuate the associations. Conclusions: Higher natriuretic peptide levels were independently associated with a favorable adiposity profile, characterized by decreased visceral and liver fat and increased lower body fat, suggesting a link between the heart and adipose tissue distribution mediated through natriuretic peptides. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate whether the relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP) and atherosclerosis is modified by body mass index (BMI). Background: CRP levels are affected by obesity, and it is unknown whether the associations between CRP and cardiovascular (CV) disease differ between obese and nonobese individuals. Methods: We measured CRP and multiple atherosclerosis phenotypes, including coronary artery calcification (CAC) (n = 2,685), aortic wall thickness (AWT) (n = 2,238), and aortic plaque burden (APB) (n = 2,224), in subjects ages 30 to 65 years from the Dallas Heart Study. The associations of CRP with CAC, AWT, and APB were compared across categories of BMI (normal, 18.5 to <25 kg/m2; overweight, 25 to <30 kg/m2; obese, ≥30 kg/m2) in sex-stratified analyses. Results: The overall prevalence of obesity was 38% in men and 53% in women. Increasing CRP levels (<1 mg/l, 1 to 3 mg/l, >3 mg/l) were associated with increased CAC prevalence in normal and overweight men and in normal weight women (p < 0.01), but not in obese subjects of either sex. Likewise, the correlations between CRP and AWT and APB diminished with increasing BMI and were nonsignificant in obese individuals (p < 0.05 in nonobese, p > 0.1 in obese). Interaction tests between CRP and obesity were significant for all atherosclerosis measures in men and for AWT and ABP in women (p interaction <0.05 each). In both sexes, the c-statistics of CRP for all 3 atherosclerosis measures were greater for normal weight than obese individuals. Conclusions: In a large, population-based study, the association between CRP and multiple measures of atherosclerosis is diminished in obese individuals. The role of CRP for predicting CV outcomes in obese subjects requires further evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]