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A clinical audit of hospitals in Thailand was conducted to assess compliance with the national hypertension treatment guidelines and determine hypertension control rates across facilities of different sizes. Stratified random sampling was used to select sixteen hospitals of different sizes from four provinces. These included community (120 beds) hospitals. Among new cases, the audit determined whether (i) the recommended baseline laboratory assessment was completed, (ii) the initial choice of medication was appropriate based on the patient's cardiovascular risk, and (iii) patients received medication adjustments when indicated. The hypertension control rates at six months and at the last visit were recorded. Among the 1406 patients, about 75% had their baseline glucose and kidney function assessed. Nearly 30% (n = 425/1406) of patients were indicated for dual therapy but only 43% of them (n = 182/425) received this. During treatment, 28% (198/1406) required adjustments in medication but this was not done. The control of hypertension at six months after treatment initiation was 53% varying between 51% in community and 56% in large hospitals (p

Objectives; The purpose of this study was to assess whether high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) differed in their ability to predict cardiovascular outcomes beyond traditional risk factors in younger and older men and women without known cardiovascular disease. Design. Prospective population-based cohort study of 1951 individuals from the MONItoring of trends and determinants in Cardiovascular disease (MONICA) study, examined 1993–1994. Participants were stratified into four groups based on sex and age. Subjects aged 41 or 51 years were classified as younger; those aged 61 or 71 years were classified as older. The principal endpoint was death from cardiovascular causes. Predictive capabilities of biomarkers were tested using Cox proportional-hazards regression, Harrell’s concordance-index, net reclassification improvement, and classification and regression tree (CART) analysis. Results. Median follow-up was 18.5 years, during which 19/597 younger men, 100/380 older men, 12/607 younger women, and 46/367 older women had died from a cardiovascular cause. NT-proBNP was independently associated with death from cardiovascular causes among all participants (p ≤ .02) except younger women (p = .70), whereas hs-CRP was associated with this endpoint in men (p ≤ .007), and suPAR in older men only (p Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess whether high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) differed in their ability to predict cardiovascular outcomes beyond traditional risk factors in younger and older men and women without known cardiovascular disease. Design. Prospective population-based cohort study of 1951 individuals from the MONItoring of trends and determinants in Cardiovascular disease (MONICA) study, examined 1993–1994. Participants were stratified into four groups based on sex and age. Subjects aged 41 or 51 years were classified as younger; those aged 61 or 71 years were classified as older. The principal endpoint was death from cardiovascular causes. Predictive capabilities of biomarkers were tested using Cox proportional-hazards regression, Harrell’s concordance-index, net reclassification improvement, and classification and regression tree (CART) analysis. Results. Median follow-up was 18.5 years, during which 19/597 younger men, 100/380 older men, 12/607 younger women, and 46/367 older women had died from a cardiovascular cause. NT-proBNP was independently associated with death from cardiovascular causes among all participants (p ≤.02) except younger women (p =.70), whereas hs-CRP was associated with this endpoint in men (p ≤.007), and suPAR in older men only (p

Purpose: The objective of this study was to test if combining antecedent systolic blood pressure (SBP) with traditional risk factors and hypertension-mediated organ damage (HMOD) improves risk stratification for subsequent cardiovascular disease. Materials and methods: 1910 subjects participated in this study. Antecedent SBP was defined as the average of measurements obtained in 1982 and in 1987. Current SBP was obtained in 1993. HMOD were examined in 1993. HMOD was defined as either atherosclerotic plaque(s), increased pulse wave velocity, increased urine albumin creatinine ratio (above the 90th percentile) or left ventricular hypertrophy. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disease, heart failure and arrhythmia were obtained from national registries. Results: Subjects were divided into two age categories: a middle-aged group (aged 41 or 51) and an older group (aged 61 or 71). From 1993 to 2010, 425 events were observed. In multivariable analysis with both current and antecedent SBP adjusted for traditional risk factors, current SBP was associated with each measure of HMOD whilst antecedent SBP was not significantly associated with urine albumin creatinine ratio in the older group, LVMI in the middle-aged group, or the presence of plaque in any of the age groups (all p > 0.15). When current and antecedent SBP were evaluated together, current SBP was not associated with MACE in the middle-aged subgroup [HR = 1.09 (0.96–1.22), p = 0.18] but remained associated with MACE in the older subgroup [HR = 1.21 (1.10–1.34), p < 0.01]. Contrariwise, antecedent SBP was only associated with MACE in the middle-aged subgroup [HR = 1.24 (1.04–1.48), p = 0.02]. Adding antecedent SBP to traditional risk factors did not improve the predictive accuracy of the survival model. Conclusion: In healthy non-medicated middle-aged subjects, antecedent SBP is associated with cardiovascular outcome independently of current BP, traditional risk factors and HMOD. However, improvement in risk stratification seems to be limited.

Atherosclerosis - the pathophysiological mechanism shared by most cardiovascular diseases - can be directly or indirectly assessed by a variety of clinical tests including measurement of carotid intima-media thickness, carotid plaque, ankle-brachial index, pulse wave velocity, and coronary artery calcium. the Prospective Studies of Atherosclerosis (Proof-ATHERO) consortium (https://clinicalepi.i-med.ac.at/research/proof-athero/) collates de-identified individual-participant data of studies with information on atherosclerosis measures, risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and incidence of cardiovascular diseases. It currently comprises 74 studies that involve 106,846 participants from 25 countries and over 40 cities. in summary, 21 studies recruited participants from the general population (n = 67,784), 16 from high-risk populations (n = 22,677), and 37 as part of clinical trials (n = 16,385). Baseline years of contributing studies range from April 1980 to July 2014; the latest follow-up was until June 2019. Mean age at baseline was 59 years (standard deviation: 10) and 50% were female. Over a total of 830,619 person-years of follow-up, 17,270 incident cardiovascular events (including coronary heart disease and stroke) and 13,270 deaths were recorded, corresponding to cumulative incidences of 2.1% and 1.6% per annum, respectively. the consortium is coordinated by the Clinical Epidemiology Team at the Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria. Contributing studies undergo a detailed data cleaning and harmonisation procedure before being incorporated in the Proof-ATHERO central database. Statistical analyses are being conducted according to pre-defined analysis plans and use established methods for individual-participant data meta-analysis. Capitalising on its large sample size, the multi-institutional collaborative Proof-ATHERO consortium aims to better characterise, understand, and predict the development of atherosclerosis and its clinical consequences. (c) 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel, Austrian Science Fund (FWF)Austrian Science Fund (FWF) [P 32488]; Dr.-Johannes-and-Hertha-Tuba Foundation, This work was funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) (P 32488) and the Dr.-Johannes-and-Hertha-Tuba Foundation. Funders of individual studies contributing to the present analysis arelisted onthe Proof-ATHERO webpage(https://clinicalepi.i-med.ac.at/research/proof-athero/studies/).

A U-shaped association between serum potassium (s-potassium) and short-term mortality has been reported for patients with hypertension. Less is known about the long-term prognostic implications of s-potassium and whether this relationship is modified by intensive blood pressure (BP) control. SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) was a randomized, controlled trial of 9361 high-risk patients aged ≥50 years without diabetes, who were allocated to intensive versus standard BP control. We investigated associations between baseline and on-treatment s-potassium and death, using Cox proportional hazards regression (including s-potassium as a time-dependent covariate) and restricted cubic splines. We further explored the effects of intensive BP control across the s-potassium spectrum. Baseline s-potassium was available in 9336 individuals, and 8473 had a measurement at 12 months. Mean baseline s-potassium was similar between the 2 treatment groups (intensive 4.21 mmol/L versus standard 4.20 mmol/L; P =0.74), but on-treatment s-potassium was lower in the intensive group (4.14 mmol/L versus 4.18 mmol/L; P =0.001). Median follow-up was 3.3 years, with 365 all-cause deaths (3.9%) and 102 cardiovascular deaths (1.1%). Baseline s-potassium had a linear association with both types of death events ( P P =0.04) but not with cardiovascular death ( P =0.13). None of the associations remained significant after multivariable adjustment ( P ≥0.05). S-potassium did not modify the effect of intensive BP control ( P ≥0.05). In SPRINT, neither baseline nor on-treatment s-potassium levels were independently associated with death, and the effect of intensive BP control was not modified by s-potassium. Careful monitoring of patients on antihypertensive medications may eliminate the risks associated with abnormal s-potassium. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT01206062

Aims The aim of this study was to examine whether high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) carried incremental prognostic value in predicting cardiovascular morbidity and mortality beyond traditional risk factors in apparently healthy individuals. Methods and results This was a prospective population-based cohort study comprising 1951 subjects included in the 10-year follow-up of the MONItoring of trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease (MONICA) study, between 1993 and 1994. The principal endpoint was death from cardiovascular causes. Secondary endpoints were death from any cause, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and cerebrovascular disease. Predictive capabilities of each of the three biomarkers were tested using Cox proportional-hazards regression, Harrell’s concordance index (C-index), and net reclassification improvement (NRI). Study participants were aged 41, 51, 61, or 71 years, and equally distributed between the two sexes. During a median follow-up of 18.5 years (interquartile range: 18.1–19.0), 177 (9.1%) subjects died from a cardiovascular cause. Hs-CRP (adjusted standardized hazard ratio (HR): 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.17–1.60), NT-proBNP (HR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.58–2.29), and suPAR (HR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.17–1.57) were all significantly associated with cardiovascular deaths after adjustment for age, sex, smoking status, systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol ( p Conclusions Hs-CRP, suPAR, and particularly NT-proBNP predicted cardiovascular death and may enhance prognostication beyond traditional risk factors in apparently healthy individuals.

High blood pressure (BP) is a highly prevalent modifiable cause of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and death. Accurate BP measurement is critical, given that a 5-mmHg measurement error may lead to incorrect hypertension status classification in 84 million individuals worldwide. This position statement summarizes procedures for optimizing observer performance in clinic BP measurement, with special attention given to low-to-middle-income settings, where resource limitations, heavy workloads, time constraints, and lack of electrical power make measurement more challenging. Many measurement errors can be minimized by appropriate patient preparation and standardized techniques. Validated semi-automated/automated upper arm cuff devices should be used instead of auscultation to simplify measurement and prevent observer error. Task sharing, creating a dedicated measurement workstation, and using semi-automated or solar-charged devices may help. Ensuring observer training, and periodic re-training, is critical. Low-cost, easily accessible certification programs should be considered to facilitate best BP measurement practice.

Background The challenge of managing age-related diseases is increasing; routine checks by the general practitioner do not reduce cardiovascular mortality. The aim here was to reduce cardiovascular mortality by advanced population-based cardiovascular screening. The present article reports the organization of the study, the acceptability of the screening offer, and the relevance of multifaceted screening for prevention and management of cardiovascular disease. Methods Danish men aged 65–74 years were invited randomly (1 : 2) to a cardiovascular screening examination using low-dose non-contrast CT, ankle and brachial BP measurements, and blood tests. Results In all, 16 768 of 47 322 men aged 65–74 years were invited and 10 471 attended (uptake 62·4 per cent). Of these, 3481 (33·2 per cent) had a coronary artery calcium score above 400 units. Thoracic aortic aneurysm was diagnosed in the ascending aorta (diameter 45 mm or greater) in 468 men (4·5 per cent), in the arch (at least 40 mm) in 48 (0·5 per cent) and in the descending aorta (35 mm or more) in 233 (2·2 per cent). Abdominal aortic aneurysm (at least 30 mm) and iliac aneurysm (20 mm or greater) were diagnosed in 533 (5·1 per cent) and 239 (2·3 per cent) men respectively. Peripheral artery disease was diagnosed in 1147 men (11·0 per cent), potentially uncontrolled hypertension (at least 160/100 mmHg) in 835 (8·0 per cent), previously unknown atrial fibrillation confirmed by ECG in 50 (0·5 per cent), previously unknown diabetes mellitus in 180 (1·7 per cent) and isolated severe hyperlipidaemia in 48 men (0·5 per cent). In all, 4387 men (41·9 per cent), excluding those with potentially uncontrolled hypertension, were referred for additional cardiovascular prevention. Of these, 3712 (35·5 per cent of all screened men, but 84·6 per cent of those referred) consented and were started on medication. Conclusion Multifaceted cardiovascular screening is feasible and may optimize cardiovascular disease prevention in men aged 65–74 years. Uptake is lower than in aortic aneurysm screening.

Multiplex proteomic platforms provide excellent tools for investigating associations between multiple proteins and disease (e.g., diabetes) with possible prognostic, diagnostic, and therapeutic implications. In this study our aim was to explore novel pathophysiological pathways by examining 92 proteins and their association with incident diabetes in a population-based cohort (146 cases of diabetes versus 880 controls) followed over 8 years. After adjusting for traditional risk factors, we identified seven proteins associated with incident diabetes. Four proteins (Scavenger receptor cysteine rich type 1 protein M130, Fatty acid binding protein 4, Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 and Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 2) with a previously established association with incident diabetes and 3 proteins (Cathepsin D, Galectin-4, Paraoxonase type 3) with a novel association with incident diabetes. Galectin-4, with an increased risk of diabetes, and Paraoxonase type 3, with a decreased risk of diabetes, remained significantly associated with incident diabetes after adjusting for plasma glucose, implying a glucose independent association with diabetes.

Not required.

Most type 2 diabetes patients are treated in general practice and there is a need of developing and implementing efficient lifestyle interventions. eHealth interventions have shown to be effective in promoting a healthy lifestyle. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility, including the identification of factors of importance, when offering digital lifestyle coaching to type 2 diabetes patients in general practice. We conducted a qualitative feasibility study with focus group interviews in four general practices. We identified two overall themes and four subthemes: (1) the distribution of roles and lifestyle interventions in general practice (subthemes: external and internal distribution of roles) and (2) the pros and cons for digital lifestyle interventions in general practice (subthemes: access to real life data and change in daily routines). We conclude that for digital lifestyle coaching to be feasible in a general practice setting, it was of great importance that the general practitioners and practice nurses knew the role and content of the intervention. In general, there was a positive attitude in the general practice setting towards referring type 2 diabetes patients to digital lifestyle intervention if it was easy to refer the patients and if easily understandable and accessible feedback was implemented into the electronic health record. It was important that the digital lifestyle intervention was flexible and offered healthcare providers in general practice an opportunity to follow the type 2 diabetes patient closely.

Objective: To explore the pattern of antihypertensive medication use among Nepali patients. Design and method: This cross-sectional study in Nepal analysed data from the May Measurement Month 2019 (MMM19). We converted all trade names to generic names and further categorized them according to the class of medication. Participants who provided the information about the name of their antihypertensive medication at the time of the interview were included. Blood pressure (BP) control was defined as a systolic BP < 140 mmHg and diastolic BP < 90. Results: Out of 72,320 who participated in the MMM19, three BP readings were available for 66,955 (93%). Among them, 15,872 (24%) had hypertension and 7,507 (47%) were taking antihypertensive medication. Out of them, 1,434 (19%) provided information about the antihypertensive medication. The mean (SD) of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 135 mmHg (17 mmHg) and 86 mmHg (11 mmHg). Among those treated for BP, 85%,14% and 1% used 1, 2 and > 2 drugs respectively and 63% were controlled. The proportion of patient taking calcium channel blockers (CCB), angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), and CCB plus ARB were 56%, 24% and 10%, respectively. Amlodipine was the most widely used medicine (55 %) followed by losartan (15%). Blood pressure control rate among participants using telmisartan, losartan plus hydrochlorothiazide, amlodipine plus losartan, losartan and amlodipine were 75%, 68%, 64%, 62% and 62%, respectively. Conclusions: Among individuals taking antihypertensive medications in Nepal, 85% of patients were taking monotherapy, mostly amlodipine. Improvements in BP control will likely require intensification of therapy, potentially through greater use of fixed dose combination therapy.

IntroductionAtrial fibrillation is the most common heart arrhythmia with a prevalence of approximately 2% in the western world. Atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk of death and morbidity. In many patients, a rate control strategy is recommended. The optimal heart rate target is disputed despite the results of the the RAte Control Efficacy in permanent atrial fibrillation: a comparison between lenient vs strict rate control II (RACE II) trial.Our primary objective will be to investigate the effect of lenient rate control strategy (Methods and analysisWe plan a two-group, superiority randomised clinical trial. 350 outpatients with persistent or permanent atrial fibrillation will be recruited from four hospitals, across three regions in Denmark. Participants will be randomised 1:1 to a lenient medical rate control strategy (Ethics and disseminationEthics approval was obtained through the ethics committee in Region Zealand. The design and findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals as well as be made available on ClinicalTrials.gov.Trial registration numberNCT04542785.

Aims: To determine whether a strategy of intensive blood pressure control reduces the risk of heart failure (HF) events consistently across the spectrum of kidney function and albuminuria. Methods and results: SPRINT was a randomized clinical trial in which 9361 individuals ≥50 years, at high risk for or with cardiovascular disease, a systolic blood pressure of 130–180 mmHg, but without diabetes, were randomized to intensive (target 2 and 248 (2.8%) with UACR >300 mg/g. During a median follow-up of 3.2 years (range 0–4.8 years), 160 (1.8%) participants had HF events and 233 (2.6%) had HF events or cardiovascular death. Risks of HF events or cardiovascular death increased from 0.42 (0.34–0.53) per 100 patient-years in patients with eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and UACR 2 and UACR >300 mg/g. A similar gradient was observed for HF events alone. Both eGFR and UACR were independently, non-linearly associated with HF hospitalization and HF hospitalization or cardiovascular death (test for overall trend, P < 0.001). While the effects of intensive blood pressure control on HF event risk appeared to attenuate at lower eGFR and higher UACR, there was no significant interaction between eGFR or UACR and blood pressure control strategy (continuous and categorical interaction P > 0.05). Conclusion: In SPRINT, eGFR and albuminuria were strong and additive determinants in forecasting HF risk. The effect of intensive blood pressure control in decreasing HF risk did not significantly vary across the spectrum of kidney function or albuminuria. Multidisciplinary pathways, incorporating blood pressure control, are needed for at-risk patients with chronic kidney disease to attenuate HF risk. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01206062.

Asymptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) is a frequent condition that may cause hyponatremia due to neurohumoral activation. We examined if hyponatremia heralds poor prognosis in patients with asymptomatic AS, and whether AS in itself is associated with increased risk of hyponatremia. The study question was investigated in 1,677 individuals that had and annual plasma sodium measurements in the SEAS (Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in AS) trial; 1,873 asymptomatic patients with mild-moderate AS (maximal transaortic velocity 2.5 to 4.0 m/s) randomized to simvastatin/ezetimibe combination versus placebo. All-cause mortality was the primary endpoint and incident hyponatremia (P-Na+

It remains unclear which blood pressure (BP) characteristics best predict cardiovascular risk in different age groups and between sexes. We leveraged data from the MORGAM (MONICA [Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease], Risk, Genetics, Archiving and Monograph) Project to investigate determinants of BP characteristics and their prognostic importance, in younger and older (P interaction P P P P =0.03), enhanced continuous net reclassification improvement (0.150 [95% CI, 0.087–0.215]) and improved the prognostic value of the European Society of Cardiology/European Society of Hypertension hypertension definition (categorical net reclassification improvement=0.0255, P =0.005). In conclusion, diastolic BP may provide additional prognostic utility beyond systolic BP, in predicting composite cardiovascular events among younger individuals.

Background Low bicarbonate levels are associated with higher mortality among patients who are hospitalized or have chronic kidney disease. However, the relationship between bicarbonate and mortality among outpatients on antihypertensive treatment is unclear. Purpose To assess the relationship between serum bicarbonate levels, treatment response to intensive blood pressure lowering, and mortality. Methods SPRINT was a randomized, controlled trial in which 9,361 individuals ≥50 years of age, at high cardiovascular (CV) risk, but without diabetes, and a systolic blood pressure (BP) 130–180 mmHg, were randomized to intensive (target systolic BP Results A total of 9,334 (99.7%) individuals had a bicarbonate measurement available at baseline and 9,232 (98.6%) had at least one measurement after baseline. Mean baseline bicarbonate was similar between the two study groups (26.3 mmol/l in both; P=0.84), as was on-treatment bicarbonate (25.2 mmol/l in both; P=0.51). Median follow-up was 3.3 years (range 0–4.8), with 365 deaths from any cause (3.9%) and 102 deaths from CV causes (1.1%) recorded during the study period. Baseline and on-treatment bicarbonate both displayed a significant, U-shaped association with death from any cause (adjusted overall trend, P0.05) (Figure). Low baseline bicarbonate was significantly associated with death from any cause (29 vs. 23–29 mmol/l; P=0.84). Conversely, both low (adj. HR 1.50, 95% CI, 1.14–1.97; P=0.004) and high (adj. HR 4.77, 95% CI, 3.49–6.52; P0.05). Conclusions Baseline and on-treatment serum bicarbonate levels both displayed a U-shaped association with the risk of death. The association was not affected by intensive vs. standard blood pressure lowering. Figure 1 Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Background Observational studies in patients with hypertension have indicated a U-shaped association between on-treatment serum potassium levels and short-time mortality. However, the association between long-time mortality and serum potassium, and the potential modification of this association by intensive blood pressure lowering, are yet to be explored. Purpose To assess the relationship between serum potassium levels, treatment response to intensive blood pressure lowering, and mortality. Methods SPRINT was a randomized, controlled trial in which 9,361 individuals ≥50 years of age, at high cardiovascular (CV) risk, but without diabetes, who had an systolic blood pressure (SBP) 130–180 mmHg, were randomized to intensive (target SBP Results A total of 9,336 individuals had a serum potassium measurement available at baseline and 9,233 individuals had at least one subsequent measurement. Mean serum potassium was similar between the two study groups (intensive 4.21 mmol/l vs. standard 4.20 mmol/l; P=0.74); however, on-treatment serum potassium was significantly lower in the intensive group (intensive 4.17 mmol/l vs. standard 4.20 mmol/l; P=0.001). Median follow-up was 3.3 years (range 0–4.8), with 365 deaths from any cause (3.9%) and 102 deaths from CV causes (1.1%) recorded during the study period. Baseline serum potassium appeared to be linearly associated with both types of mortality events (test for overall trend, P0.05) on unadjusted analysis. On-treatment serum potassium displayed a U-shaped curve with death from any cause (test for overall trend, P=0.004; test for non-linearity versus linearity, P=0.006), but was not significantly associated with death from CV causes (P>0.05) (Figure). Associations were completely lost upon multivariable adjustment (P>0.05). This was particularly due to adjustment for eGFR. The efficacy of intensive blood pressure lowering was not modified by baseline or on-treatment serum potassium (P>0.05). Conclusions Neither baseline nor on-treatment serum potassium levels were associated with death after multivariable adjustment, including renal function. The efficacy of intensive blood pressure lowering was not modified by serum potassium. Serum Potassium and death Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Purpose: To assess the efficacy and safety of antihypertensive drug classes, including angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ACEi/ARB), beta blockers (BB), calcium channel blockers (CCB), and thiazide diuretics (TD), in subjects at high cardiovascular (CV) risk. Methods: SPRINT was a randomized, controlled, open-label trial in which individuals without diabetes aged ≥50 years, at high CV risk, and with a systolic blood pressure (SBP) 130-180 mmHg were randomized to intensive (SBP target Results: Of 9361 participants, baseline use of antihypertensive agents was as follows: ACEi/ARB in 1317 (14%), BB in 911 (10%), CCB in 796 (9%), and TD in 979 (10%). A total of 1366 (15%) subjects did not have a record of being on an antihypertensive drug at baseline. In the intensive BP control group, use of a BB-based regimen at baseline was associated with a significantly higher risk of the primary outcome when compared with no medications ( Figure ). Similar patterns were observed for secondary efficacy endpoints. The risk of serious adverse events tended to be lower in patients receiving a treatment regimen containing either an ACEi/ARB or a TD compared with those receiving a regimen containing a BB or a CCB ( Figure ). Conclusions: In SPRINT, the risk of adverse events was lowest in patients who were not on an antihypertensive drug at baseline. ACEi/ARB-based and TD-based regimens appeared to have the best balance between efficacy and safety.

Background: High blood pressure (BP) is the strongest modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) disease and is highly prevalent among individuals with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Purpose: To assess the efficacy and safety of intensive versus standard BP control in patients with PAD, and to assess if the presence of PAD modified treatment effect. Methods: SPRINT was a randomized, controlled, open-label trial in which individuals aged ≥50 years, at high CV risk, and with a systolic BP 130-180 mmHg were randomized to intensive (systolic BP target Results: Of 9361 participants, 503 (5.3%) had baseline PAD (intensive group 250 (5.3%) versus standard group 253 (5.4%); P=0.90). Median follow-up duration was 3.2 years (range 0-4.6 years). PAD was independently associated with a higher risk of both the primary outcome (hazard ratio (HR) 1.61, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23-2.12; P(Figure) . Conclusion: Intensive BP control reduced CV events and death in patients with hypertension and PAD.

Background: Mixed omega-3 fatty acid preparations have shown inconsistent effects on triglyceride concentrations and cardiovascular (CV) events. Nevertheless, several formulations are widely available as prescription medications. Purpose: To assess the frequency of omega-3 fatty acid use and its association with triglyceride concentrations and CV outcomes in high-risk subjects from the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT). Methods: SPRINT was a randomized, controlled trial in which non-diabetic individuals aged ≥50 years, at high CV risk, and with a systolic blood pressure (BP) 130-180 mmHg were randomized to intensive (systolic BP target Results: Of 9361 participants, 680 (7.3%) used omega-3 fatty acids at baseline (632 marine-based, 27 plant-based, and 21 both). Median triglyceride concentrations did not differ between patients on omega-3 fatty acids versus those without (110 (range 25-1701) mg/dl versus 106 (range 23-3340) mg/dl; P=0.08). Median follow-up duration was 3.3 (range 0-4.6) years. Omega-3 fatty acid use was not associated with a reduction in the primary endpoint (adjusted hazard ratio 0.90, 95% confidence interval: 0.65-1.25; P=0.54), any of its individual components, or death from any cause (P≥0.05 for all). Moreover, omega-3 fatty acid use did not modify the effect of any other lipid-lowering agent or of intensive versus standard BP control (P≥0.05 for all). Conclusions: More than 7% of high-risk individuals in SPRINT used omega-3 fatty acid preparations. These agents did not affect CV outcomes. Indiscriminate prescription of omega-3 fatty acids should be discouraged, and only preparations with documented efficacy and safety should be used.

Background The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) found that intensive versus standard blood pressure control reduced cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have shown that control of blood pressure reduces the risk of stroke and is one of the most modifiable risk factors for carotid artery disease. On the other hand, data on effect of blood pressure control on peripheral artery disease are more diverse. In addition, it is unknown whether intensive blood pressure control affects the risk of vascular procedures. Purpose To assess the relationship between intensive blood pressure control and incident vascular procedures. Methods SPRINT was a randomized, controlled trial comprising 9,361 individuals ≥50 years of age at high CV risk but without diabetes who had a systolic BP (SBP) 130–180 mmHg. Patients were randomized to intensive (target SBP Results During a median follow-up time of 3.3 years (range 0–5.5 years), a total of 174 (1.9%) composite vascular procedures were recorded. Intensive blood pressure control did not significantly reduce the risk of composite vascular procedures (intensive blood pressure control, 76 (1.6%) versus standard blood pressure control, 98 (2.1%), hazard ratio 0.76, 95% confidence interval, 0.57 to 1.03; P=0.08) (Figure 1). Similarly, the risks of the individual endpoints of carotid angioplasty, carotid endarterectomy, peripheral angioplasty or thrombolysis, lower extremity amputation for ischemia and gangrene, surgical or vascular procedure for abdominal aortic aneurysm, surgical or vascular procedure for thoracic aortic aneurysm, and surgical or vascular procedure for other problems were not significantly affected (P≥0.05 for all). Intensive blood pressure control reduced the risk of peripheral vascular surgery (intensive blood pressure control, 7 (0.2%) versus standard blood pressure control, 21 (0.5%), hazard ratio 0.33, 95% confidence interval, 0.14 to 0.77; P=0.01), though this was based on a small number of events. The safety and efficacy of intensive BP lowering was not modified by chronic kidney disease, age, sex, race, previous cardiovascular disease, or baseline systolic blood pressure tertile (P≥0.05 for all). Conclusions In SPRINT, intensive versus standard blood pressure control did not reduce the risk of composite incident vascular procedures. Figure 1. Vascular procedures Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Background High-sensitive cardiac Troponin T (hsTnT) is the most frequently used biomarker for the detection of cardiomyocyte injury. Severe aortic stenosis (AS) leads to an increased left ventricular load, with the potential of myocardial injury reflected by increased TnT levels. However, there is a lack of studies showing the prevalence and prognostic role of elevated hsTnT in patients with asymptomatic AS. Purpose To examine the association between the hsTnT levels and AS severity in asymptomatic AS patients. We hypothesized that patients with more severe AS will have elevated hsTnT levels and that hsTnT levels are associated with a higher risk for aortic valve events (AVE) and all-cause mortality (ACM). Methods We performed a post-hoc analysis in 1739 asymptomatic patients with mild to moderate-severe AS, enrolled in the randomized, double-blinded SEAS-study (Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis). All patients had available hsTnT blood samples measured at baseline (Year 0) and Year 1. We defined moderate to severe (mod-severe) AS as a transaortic maximal outflow velocity (Vmax)>3.5 m/s combined with aortic valve area (AVA)14 ng/L was high according to assay (Roche, Elecsys Troponin T hs on cobas e 601). Linear multivariable regression model examined the association of hsTnT levels to clinical and echocardiographic variables. Cox multivariable regression model evaluated competing risks and hazard ratios (HR) of outcomes while adjusting for relevant variables, including a Framingham 10-years risk score of cardiovascular diseases. The competing risks were either ACM or AVE, i.e. the first of AVR, cardiovascular death and heart failure due to AS progression. Results At baseline, hsTnT was high in 26% (453/1739) patients; 25% (380/1529) in non-severe and 35% (73/210) in mod-severe AS. Relative TnT change over one year was 17% (mean 1.17, SD 1.01); 15% in non-severe vs. 32% in mod-severe AS, and neither associated to AS severity, hsTnT at baseline or lipid-lowering treatment. In multivariable linear regression analysis, there were significant correlations between hsTnT at baseline and age, male gender, creatinine, left ventricular mass index and BMI (all p In multivariable Cox regression analyses, a high hsTnT at baseline was associated with AVE 1.61 [95% CI 1.29–1.99]. In contrast, hsTnT at baseline was not associated to all-cause mortality (see figure). Conclusions In asymptomatic AS patients without severe AS, high-sensitive Troponin T is not associated with AS severity in cross-sectional analyses, and its levels do not change substantially during one year of follow-up. However, patients with hsTnT >14 ng/l had a sixty percent higher independent risk of subsequent aortic valve events. Multivariable Cox regression Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Private company. Main funding source(s): Acknowledgements: Main sponsor (SEAS): MSD Singapore Company, LLC, partnership between Merck & Co. Inc. and Schering-Plough Corporation. Blood analysis sponsor: Roche

Background Body composition predicts cardiovascular outcomes, but it is uncertain whether anthropometric measures can replace the more expensive serum total cholesterol for cardiovascular risk stratification in low resource settings. Purpose The purpose of the study was to compare the additive prognostic ability of serum total cholesterol with that of body mass index (BMI), waist/hip ratio (WHR), and estimated fat mass (EFM, calculated using a validated prediction equation), individually and combined. Methods We used data from the MORGAM (MONICA, Risk, Genetics, Archiving, and Monograph) Prospective Cohort Project, an international pooling of cardiovascular cohorts, to determine the relationship between anthropometric measures, serum cholesterol, and cardiovascular events, using multivariable Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis. We further investigated the ability of these measures to enhance prognostication beyond a simpler prediction model, consisting of age, sex, smoking status, systolic blood pressures, and country, using comparison of area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUCROC) derived from binary logistic regression models. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of death from coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Results The study population consisted of 52,188 apparently healthy subjects (56.3% men) aged 47±12 years ranging from 20 to 84, derived from 37 European cohorts, with baseline between 1982–2002 all followed for 10 years during which MACE occurred in 2465 (4.7%) subjects. All anthropometric measures (BMI: hazard ratio (HR) 1.04 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03–1.05] per kg/m2; WHR: HR 7.5 [4.0–14.0] per unit; EFM: HR 1.02 [1.01–1.02] per kg) as well as serum total cholesterol (HR 1.20 [1.16–1.24] per mmol/l) were significantly associated with MACE (P Conclusion In this large population-based cohort study, the addition of a combination of anthropometric measures, i.e. BMI, WHR, and EFM, raised the predictive ability of a simple prognostic model comparable to that obtained by the addition of serum total cholesterol. Figure 1 Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Purpose: To determine the occurrence of physiological significant coronary artery disease (CAD) by coronary CT angiography (CTA) derived fractional flow reserve (FFRCT) in asymptomatic patients with a new diagnosis (Methods: FFRCT-analysis was performed from standard acquired coronary CTA data sets. The per-patient minimum distal FFRCT-value (d-FFRCT) in coronary vessels (diameter ⩾1.8 mm) was registered. The threshold for categorizing FFRCT-analysis as abnormal was a d-FFRCT ⩽0.75. Total plaque volume and volumes of calcified plaque, non-calcified plaque, and low-density non-calcified plaque (LD-NCP) were assessed by quantitative plaque analysis. Results: Overall, 76 patients; age, mean (SD): 56 (11) years; males, n (%): 49(65), were studied. A total of 57% of patients had plaques. The d-FFRCT was ⩽0.75 in 12 (16%) patients. The d-FFRCT, median (IQR), was 0.84 (0.79–0.87). Median (range) d-FFRCT in patients with d-FFRCT ⩽0.75 was 0.70 (0.6–0.74). Patients with d-FFRCT⩽0.75 versus d-FFRCT >0.75 had numerically higher plaque volumes for all plaques components, although only significant for the LD-NCP component. Conclusion: Every sixth asymptomatic patient with a new diagnosis of T2DM has hemodynamic significant CAD as evaluated by FFRCT. Flow impairment by FFRCT was associated with coronary plaque characteristics.

It is unclear whether 12-lead ECG employing standard criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) provides similar information with respect to long-term cardiovascular risk as echocardiography. The authors performed a retrospective cohort study of 1376 individuals without cardiovascular disease, who underwent ECG (LVH defined using the Sokolow-Lyon voltage combination (>35 mm) or the Cornell voltage-duration product (>2440 mm × ms)) and echocardiography (LVH defined as LV mass index (LVMI) >95 g/m2 for women and >115 g/m2 for men). The prognostic ability of LVH was assessed in Cox regression models adjusted for age, sex, smoking, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, antihypertensive medication, and fasting glucose. The primary end point was the composite of coronary events, heart failure, stroke, or death. The main secondary end point was heart failure or cardiovascular death. Median age was 67 (range 56-79) years, 68% were male. Eleven percent had ECG-defined LVH, 17% had echocardiographic LVH. Over median 8.5 years, 29% experienced a primary event. Event rates were 29%/35% for persons without/with ECG-defined LVH and 27%/39% for those without/with echocardiographic LVH. The Sokolow-Lyon combination, Cornell product, and ECG-defined LVH did not significantly predict the primary end point (P ≥.05), but ECG-defined LVH predicted heart failure or cardiovascular death (adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 1.86, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.13-3.08); P =.02). Conversely, LVMI was a significant, independent predictor of the primary end point (adjusted HR, 1.87, 95% CI, 1.13-3.10; P =.01), as was echocardiographic LVH (adjusted HR, 1.27, 95% CI, 1.01-1.61; P =.04). Echocardiographic LVH may be a better predictor of long-term cardiovascular risk than ECG-defined LVH in middle-aged and older individuals.

Hypertension guidelines recommend that blood pressure (BP) should be measured using a monitor that has passed validation testing for accuracy. BP monitors that have not undergone rigorous validation testing can still be cleared by regulatory authorities for marketing and sale. This is the situation for most BP monitors worldwide. Thus, consumers (patients, health professionals, procurement officers, and general public) may unwittingly purchase BP monitors that are non-validated and more likely to be inaccurate. Without prior knowledge of these issues, it is extremely difficult for consumers to distinguish validated from non-validated BP monitors. For the above reasons, the aim of this paper is to provide consumers guidance on how to check whether a BP monitor has been properly validated for accuracy. The process involves making an online search of listings of BP monitors that have been assessed for validation status. Only those monitors that have been properly validated are recommended for BP measurement. There are numerous different online listings of BP monitors, several are country-specific and two are general (international) listings. Because monitors can be marketed using alternative model names in different countries, if a monitor is not found on one listing, it may be worthwhile cross-checking with a different listing. This information is widely relevant to anyone seeking to purchase a home, clinic, or ambulatory BP monitor, including individual consumers for use personally or policy makers and those procuring monitors for use in healthcare systems, and retailers looking to stock only validated BP monitors.

BackgroundTreatment with beta-blockers is currently recommended after myocardial infarction (MI). The evidence relies on trials conducted decades ago before implementation of revascularization and contemporary medical therapy or in trials enrolling patients with heart failure or reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≤ 40%). Accordingly, the impact of beta-blockers on mortality and morbidity following acute MI in patients without reduced LVEF or heart failure is unclear.Methods/designThe Danish trial of beta-blocker treatment after myocardial infarction without reduced ejection fraction (DANBLOCK) is a prospective, randomized, controlled, open-label, non-blinded endpoint clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of beta-blocker treatment in post-MI patients in the absence of reduced LVEF or heart failure. We will randomize 3570 patients will be randomized within 14 days of index MI to beta-blocker or control for a minimum of 2 years. The primary endpoint is a composite of all-cause mortality, recurrent MI, acute decompensated heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, or stroke. The primary composite endpoint will be assessed through locally reported and adjudicated endpoints supplemented by linkage to the Danish national registers. A number of secondary endpoints will be investigated including patient reported outcomes and cardiovascular mortality. Data from similar ongoing trials in Norway and Sweden will be pooled to perform an individual patient data meta-analysis.DiscussionDANBLOCK is a randomized clinical trial investigating the effect of long-term beta-blocker therapy after myocardial infarction in patients without heart failure and reduced LVEF. Results from the trial will add important scientific evidence to inform future clinical guidelines.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov,NCT03778554. Registered on 19 December 2018.European Clinical Trials Database,2018-002699-42, registered on 28 September 2018.

Self-home blood pressure (BP) monitoring is recommended to guide clinical decisions on hypertension and is used worldwide for cardiovascular risk management. People usually make their own decisions when purchasing BP devices, which can be made online. If patients purchase nonvalidated devices (those not proven accurate according to internationally accepted standards), hypertension management may be based on inaccurate readings resulting in under- or over-diagnosis or treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the number, type, percentage validated, and cost of home BP devices available online. A search of online businesses selling devices for home BP monitoring was conducted. Multinational companies make worldwide deliveries, so searches were restricted to BP devices available for one nation (Australia) as an example of device availability through the global online marketplace. Validation status of BP devices was determined according to established protocols. Fifty nine online businesses, selling 972 unique BP devices were identified. These included 278 upper-arm cuff devices (18.3% validated), 162 wrist-cuff devices (8.0% validated), and 532 wrist-band wearables (0% validated). Most BP devices (92.4%) were stocked by international e-commerce businesses (eg, eBay, Amazon), but only 5.5% were validated. Validated cuff BP devices were more expensive than nonvalidated devices: median (interquartile range) of 101.1 (75.0–151.5) versus 67.4 (30.4–112.8) Australian Dollars. Nonvalidated BP devices dominate the online marketplace and are sold at lower cost than validated ones, which is a major barrier to accurate home BP monitoring and cardiovascular risk management. Before purchasing a BP device, people should check it has been validated at https://www.stridebp.org .

Current guidelines recommend angiotensin receptor blocker neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI) (sacubitril/valsartan) as a replacement for angiotensin-converting-enzymeinhibitor (ACE-I) in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who remain symptomatic despite optimal medical therapy. The effects of ARNIs have not previously been assessed in a systematic review. We searched for relevant trials until October 2019 in CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS, BIOSIS, CNKI, VIP, WanFang and CBM. Our primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and serious adverse events. We systematically assessed the risks of random errors and systematic errors. PROSPERO registration: CRD42019129336. 48 trials randomising 19 086 participants were included. The ARNI assessed in all trials was sacubitril/valsartan. ACE-I or ARB were used as control interventions. Trials randomising HFrEF participants (27 trials) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) participants (four trials) were analysed separately. In HFrEF participants, meta-analyses and Trial Sequential Analyses showed evidence of a beneficial effect of sacubitril/valsartan when assessing all-cause mortality (risk ratio (RR), 0.86; 95% CI, 0.79 to 0.94) and serious adverse events (RR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.86 to 0.93); and the results did not differ between the guideline recommended target population and HFrEF participants in general. We found no evidence of an effect of sacubitril/valsartan in HFpEF participants. Sacubitril/valsartan compared with either ACE-I or ARB seems to have a beneficial effect in patients with HFrEF. Our results indicate that sacubitril/valsartan might be beneficial in a wider population of patients with heart failure than the guideline recommended target population. Sacubitril/valsartan does not seem to show evidence of a difference compared with valsartan in patients with HFpEF.

High salt (sodium chloride) intake raises blood pressure and increases the risk of developing hypertension, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Little is known about salt intake in Nepal, and no study has estimated salt consumption from 24-hour urinary sodium excretion. Participants (n = 451) were recruited from the Community-Based Management of Non-Communicable Diseases in Nepal (COBIN) cohort in 2018. Salt intake was estimated by analyzing 24-hour urinary sodium excretion. Multivariate linear regression was used to estimate differences in salt intake. The mean (±SD) age and salt intake were 49.6 (±9.8) years and 13.3 (±4.7) g/person/d, respectively. Higher salt intake was significantly associated with male gender (β for female = −2.4; 95% CI: −3.3, −1.4) and younger age (β10 years = −1.4; 95% CI: −1.4, −0.5) and higher BMI (β = 0.1; 95% CI: 0.0, 0.2). A significant association was also found between increase in systolic blood pressure and higher salt intake (β = 0.3; 95% CI: 0.0, 0.7). While 55% reported that they consumed just the right amount of salt, 98% were consuming more than the WHO recommended salt amount (

Digital, The Lancet Commission on Hypertension identified that a key action to address the worldwide burden of high blood pressure (BP) was to improve the quality of BP measurements by using BP devices that have been validated for accuracy. Currently, there are over 3 000 commercially available BP devices, but many do not have published data on accuracy testing according to established scientific standards. This problem is enabled through weak or absent regulations that allow clearance of devices for commercial use without formal validation. In addition, new BP technologies have emerged (e.g. cuffless sensors) for which there is no scientific consensus regarding BP measurement accuracy standards. Altogether, these issues contribute to the widespread availability of clinic and home BP devices with limited or uncertain accuracy, leading to inappropriate hypertension diagnosis, management and drug treatment on a global scale. The most significant problems relating to the accuracy of BP devices can be resolved by the regulatory requirement for mandatory independent validation of BP devices according to the universally-accepted International Organization for Standardization Standard. This is a primary recommendation for which there is an urgent international need. Other key recommendations are development of validation standards specifically for new BP technologies and online lists of accurate devices that are accessible to consumers and health professionals. Recommendations are aligned with WHO policies on medical devices and universal healthcare. Adherence to recommendations would increase the global availability of accurate BP devices and result in better diagnosis and treatment of hypertension, thus decreasing the worldwide burden from high BP., La Comisión Lancet de Hipertensión determinó que una medida clave para responder a la carga mundial que representa la hipertensión arterial era mejorar la calidad de las mediciones de la presión arterial, mediante la utilización de dispositivos cuya exactitud haya sido validada. En la actualidad existen 3000 dispositivos comercializados, pero muchos no tienen datos publicados sobre pruebas de exactitud conformes a las normas científicas establecidas. La falta de regulación o su ineficiencia, que permiten la autorización de dispositivos para uso comercial sin una validación oficial, posibilitan este problema. Además, han surgido tecnologías nuevas de medición de la presión arterial (por ejemplo, los sensores sin brazalete) sobre las cuales no existe unanimidad en la comunidad científica con respecto a las normas de exactitud de la medición. En conjunto, estos aspectos contribuyen a la disponibilidad generalizada de tensiómetros de consultorio o domiciliarios que ofrecen una exactitud limitada o incierta, que llevan a diagnósticos, manejo y farmacoterapia inapropiados de la hipertensión a escala mundial. Los problemas más importantes relacionados con la exactitud de los dispositivos de medición de la presión arterial se pueden resolver mediante el requisito regulatorio de una validación independiente obligatoria de los dispositivos, en consonancia con la norma ISO universalmente aceptada. Esta es una recomendación básica y constituye una necesidad internacional acuciante. Otras recomendaciones clave son la elaboración de normas de validación específicas para las tecnologías nuevas de medición de la presión arterial y la publicación en línea de listas de los dispositivos nuevos exactos que están a la disposición de los usuarios y los profesionales de salud. Las recomendaciones están en consonancia con las políticas de la Organización Mundial de la Salud sobre los dispositivos médicos y la atención universal de la salud. El cumplimiento de las recomendaciones aumentará la disponibilidad mundial de dispositivos de medición de la presión arterial que sean exactos y tendrá como efecto un mejor diagnóstico y tratamiento, reduciendo así la carga mundial de la hipertensión., A Comissão Lancet sobre Hipertensão Arterial identificou que uma iniciativa central para enfrentar a carga mundial da hipertensão arterial seria a melhoria na qualidade da mensuração da pressão arterial pelo uso aparelhos de pressão arterial validados quanto à acurácia. Atualmente, existem mais de 3 000 aparelhos de pressão arterial disponíveis comercialmente; entretanto, muitos não têm dados publicados sobre testes de acurácia realizados de acordo com padrões científicos estabelecidos. Este problema resulta de regulamentação fraca ou inexistente, o que permite a aprovação para uso comercial de dispositivos sem validação formal. Além disso, surgiram novas tecnologias de mensuração da pressão arterial (por exemplo, sensores sem algemas) sem consenso científico quanto aos padrões de acurácia. No conjunto, essas questões contribuem para a oferta generalizada de dispositivos de pressão arterial clínica e domiciliar com acurácia limitada ou incerta, levando a diagnóstico, gerenciamento e tratamento inadequados da hipertensão em escala global. Os problemas mais significativos relacionados com a acurácia dos dispositivos de pressão arterial podem ser resolvidos por regulamentação que imponha a obrigatoriedade de validação independente dos aparelhos de pressão arterial, de acordo com a norma universalmente aceita pela Organização Internacional de Normalização. Esta é uma recomendação fundamental para a qual existe uma necessidade internacional urgente. Outras recomendações essenciais incluem o desenvolvimento de padrões de validação especificamente para novas tecnologias de mensuração da pressão arterial e listas on-line de aparelhos com acurácia adequada que sejam acessíveis aos consumidores e profissionais de saúde. As recomendações estão alinhadas com as políticas da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) sobre dispositivos médicos e atenção universal à saúde. A adesão às recomendações aumentaria a oferta global de dispositivos de pressão arterial com acurácia adequada e resultaria em melhor diagnóstico e tratamento da hipertensão arterial, diminuindo assim a carga mundial dessa doença., Traducción oficial al español del artículo original en inglés efectuada por la Organización Panamericana de la Salud. En caso de discrepancia, prevalecerá la versión original en inglés. Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. y sus sociedades no se hacen responsables de la exactitud de la traducción del original inglés ni de los eventuales errores que esta pueda contener. Cita del artículo original: Sharman JE, O'Brien E, Alpert B, Schutte AE, Delles C, Hecht Olsen M et al. Lancet commission on hypertension group position statement on the global improvement of accuracy standards for devices that measure blood pressure. J Hypertens. 2020:38:21-29.doi: https://doi. org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000002246, Ciencias Médicas y de la Salud

Elevated blood pressure remains the single biggest risk factor contributing to the global burden of disease and mortality. May Measurement Month is an annual global screening campaign aiming to improve awareness of blood pressure at the individual and population level. Adults ({greater than or equal to}18 years) recruited through opportunistic sampling were screened at sites in 92 countries during May 2019. Ideally three blood pressure readings were measured for each participant, and data on lifestyle factors and co-morbidities were collected. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP {greater than or equal to} 140 mmHg, and/or a diastolic BP {greater than or equal to} 90 mmHg (mean of the second and third readings) or taking antihypertensive medication. When necessary, multiple imputation was used to estimate participants' mean blood pressure. Mixed-effects models were used to evaluate associations between blood pressure and participant characteristics. Of 1,508,130 screenees 482,273 (32.0%) had never had a blood pressure measurement before and 513,337 (34.0%) had hypertension, of whom 58.7% were aware and 54.7% were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on medication, 57.8% were controlled to

Background The World Health Organization recommends consumption of a minimum of 400 g of fruits and vegetables per day for prevention of cardiovascular disease. Low fruit and vegetable intake is associated with an increased risk of stroke by 11% and ischemic heart disease by 31%. The present study aims to explore factors affecting the fruit and vegetable intake in Nepal and its association with history of self-reported major cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction and stroke). Method Data for this cross-sectional study were collected as part of the study “Community Based Management of Hypertension in Nepal” initiated in the Lekhnath Municipality in 2013. Demographic and nutrition information were collected using the WHO STEPwise approach to a surveillance tool. Descriptive statistics identified the frequency and percentage of fruit and vegetable intake. A Chi-square test examined the association between fruit and vegetable intake and history of self-reported cardiovascular events, socio-demographic and cardiovascular risk factors. Binary logistic regression analysis identified odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals between fruit and vegetable intake and history of self-reported cardiovascular events. Results The mean and median intake of fruits and vegetables were 3.3 ± 0.79 and 3 servings respectively. Of the 2815 respondents, 2% (59) reported having a history of major cardiovascular events. The adjusted odds of having a history of major cardiovascular events was 2.22 (95%CI, 1.06–4.66) for those who consumed Conclusion The respondents who consumed

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of age on the associations between hemodynamic components derived from 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (24-h ABPM) and target organ damage, in apparently healthy, nonmedicated individuals. Methods: Twenty-four-hour ABPM and target organ damage (left ventricular mass index, pulse wave velocity, urine albumin : Creatinine ratio and carotid atherosclerotic plaques) were evaluated in 1408 individuals. Associations were examined in regression models, stratified for age [middle-aged (41 or 51 years) or elderly (61 or 71 years)], and adjusted for sex, smoking status, and total-cholesterol. Results: In middle-aged individuals, an increase of 10mmHg in 24-h SBP was independently associated with an increase of 3.8 (2.7-4.8) g/m2 in LVMI. The effect was nearly doubled in the elderly subgroup, where the same increase resulted in an increase in LVMI of 6.3 (5.0-7.6) g/ m2 (P for interaction 0.26). Conclusion: Age enhances the associations between hemodynamic components obtained from 24-h ABPM and measures of arterial stiffness, microvascular damage, and cardiac structure, but not atherosclerosis.

Background Hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease are among the leading causes of mortality globally. Exercise is one of the commonly recommended interventions/preventions for hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. However, the previous reviews have shown conflicting evidence on the effects of exercise. Our objective is to assess the beneficial and harmful effects of adding exercise to usual care for people with hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or cardiovascular disease. Methods This protocol for a systematic review was undertaken using the recommendations of The Cochrane Collaboration, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) and the eight-step assessment procedure suggested by Jakobsen et al. We plan to include all relevant randomised clinical trials and cluster-randomised trials assessing the effects of adding exercise to usual care for people with hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or cardiovascular disease. We will search the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Excerpta Medica database (EMBASE), Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), Science Citation Index Expanded on Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Science Journal Database (VIP) and BIOSIS. We will systematically assess the risks of random errors using Trial Sequential Analysis as well as risks of bias of all included trials. We will create a ‘Summary of Findings’ table in which we will present our primary and secondary outcomes, and we will assess the quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Discussion The present systematic review will have the potential to aid patients, clinicians and decision-makers recommending exercise and thereby, benefit patients with hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or cardiovascular disease. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42019142313

Background The 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines include lower thresholds to define hypertension than previous guidelines. Little is known about the impact of these guideline changes in patients with or at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Methods In this exploratory analysis using baseline blood pressure assessments in Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), we evaluated the prevalence and associated cardiovascular prognosis of patients newly reclassified with hypertension based on the 2017 ACC/AHA (systolic blood pressure ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥80 mm Hg) compared with the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7) guidelines (systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg). The primary endpoint was the composite of myocardial infarction, other acute coronary syndromes, stroke, heart failure, or cardiovascular death. Results In 4683 patients assigned to the standard treatment arm of SPRINT, 2328 (49.7%) met hypertension thresholds by JNC 7 guidelines, and another 1424 (30.4%) were newly reclassified as having hypertension based on the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines. Over 3.3-year median follow-up, 319 patients experienced the primary endpoint (87 of whom were newly reclassified with hypertension based on the revised guidelines). Patients with hypertension based on prior guidelines compared with those newly identified with hypertension based on the new guidelines had similar risk of the primary endpoint (2.3 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.0-2.7] vs 2.0 [95% CI, 1.6-2.4] events per 100 patient-years; adjusted HR, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.84-1.44]; P = .48). Conclusions The 2017 ACC/AHA high blood pressure guidelines are expected to significantly increase the prevalence of patients with hypertension (perhaps to a greater extent in higher-risk patient cohorts compared with the general population) and identify greater numbers of patients who will ultimately experience adverse cardiovascular events.

Background Coronary artery calcium is important in cardiovascular risk stratification, but this knowledge is based on studies with a significant selection bias. This study aims to evaluate the external validity of a screening programme including coronary artery calcium examination, and the association between coronary artery calcium and cardiovascular events. Design Multi-centre population based study. Methods Randomly selected middle-aged men and women ( N = 1751) free of cardiovascular disease were invited to the examination during 2009–2010. Participation rate in the examination was 70%. Participants ( n = 1227) and non-participants ( n = 524) were compared regarding: cardiovascular medical treatment, Charlson comorbidity index and socioeconomic status (evaluated by cohabitation, gross income and education). Study endpoints were cardiovascular events and mortality. Results Non-participants had a significant higher comorbidity ( p = 0.003) and a lower socioeconomic status ( p Conclusions Non-participants had a higher comorbidity index and a lower socioeconomic status, but the cardiovascular event and mortality rates were equal to those of participants. Thus, a screening programme including a coronary artery calcium examination had a high external validity regarding cardiovascular risk, but also a significant social imbalance.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is an inflammatory marker associated with cardiovascular disease. Statins lower both low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol and C-reactive protein (CRP), resulting in improved outcomes. However, whether lipid-lowering therapy also lowers suPAR levels is unknown.METHODS: We investigated whether treatment with Simvastatin 40 mg and Ezetimibe 10 mg lowered plasma suPAR levels in 1838 patients with mild-moderate, asymptomatic aortic stenosis, included in the Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis (SEAS) study, using a pattern mixture model. A 1-year Cox analysis, adjusted for established cardiovascular risk factors, allocation to study treatment, peak aortic valve velocity and baseline suPAR, was performed to evaluate relationships between change in suPAR with all-cause mortality and the composite endpoint of major cardiovascular events (MCE) composed of ischemic cardiovascular events (ICE) and aortic valve related events (AVE).RESULTS: After 4.3 years of follow-up, suPAR levels had increased by 9.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.0%-11.5%) in the placebo group, but only by 4.1% (1.9%-6.2%) in the group with lipid-lowering treatment (pCONCLUSIONS: Simvastatin and Ezetimibe treatment impeded the progression of the time-related increase in plasma suPAR levels. Year-1 suPAR was associated with all-cause mortality, MCE, and AVE irrespective of baseline levels (SEAS study: NCT00092677).

Objective To examine the predictive capability of a 1-h vs 2-h postload glucose value for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Design Prospective, population-based cohort study (Malmö Preventive Project) with subject inclusion 1974–1992. Methods 4934 men without known diabetes and cardiovascular disease, who had blood glucose (BG) measured at 0, 20, 40, 60, 90 and 120 min during an OGTT (30 g glucose per m2 body surface area), were followed for 27 years. Data on cardiovascular events and death were obtained through national and local registries. Predictive capabilities of fasting BG (FBG) and glucose values obtained during OGTT alone and added to a clinical prediction model comprising traditional cardiovascular risk factors were assessed using Harrell’s concordance index (C-index) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). Results Median age was 48 (25th–75th percentile: 48–49) years and mean FBG 4.6 ± 0.6 mmol/L. FBG and 2-h postload BG did not independently predict cardiovascular events or death. Conversely, 1-h postload BG predicted cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and remained an independent predictor of cardiovascular death (HR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.01–1.17, P = 0.02) and all-cause mortality (HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.05–1.16, P P = 0.02) and all-cause mortality (likelihood-ratio test, P = 0.0001; significant IDI, P = 0.0003). Conclusion Among men without known diabetes, addition of 1-h BG, but not FBG or 2-h BG, to clinical risk factors provided incremental prognostic yield for prediction of cardiovascular death and all-cause mortality.

OBJECTIVE: Reference values of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) and fluorine-18-sodium fluoride (F-NaF) uptake in human arteries are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine age-specific and sex-specific reference values of arterial F-FDG and F-NaF uptake.PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Uptake of F-FDG and F-NaF was determined in the ascending aorta, aortic arch, and descending thoracic aorta. In addition, F-FDG uptake was determined in the carotid arteries and F-NaF uptake was determined in the coronary arteries. Arterial F-FDG and F-NaF uptake were quantified as the blood pool subtracted maximum activity concentration in kBq/ml (BSF-FDGmax and BSF-NaFmax, respectively). In addition to determining reference values, we evaluated the influence of age and sex on BSF-FDGmax and BSF-NaFmax.RESULTS: Arterial F-FDG and F-NaF uptake was assessed in 89 healthy adults aged 21-75 years (mean age: 44±14 years, 53% men). Both BSF-FDGmax and BSF-NaFmax increased with age. BSF-FDGmax increased with age in the descending aorta (β=0.28; P=0.003), whereas BSF-NaFmax increased with age in the ascending aorta (β=0.18; PCONCLUSION: Prospective evaluation of 89 healthy adults generated age-specific and sex-specific reference values of arterial F-FDG and F-NaF uptake. Our findings indicate that arterial F-FDG and F-NaF uptake tend to increase with age.

Markers of target-organ damage and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) measurement improve cardiovascular risk stratification. The prevalence of target-organ damage and raised BP increases with aging. The study aim was to evaluate the impact of age and target-organ damage on the prognostic value of ambulatory BP. Markers of target-organ damage and ambulatory BP were measured in 1408 healthy people aged 41 or 51 (middle-aged group), and 61 or 71 (older group) years. The primary outcome was cardiovascular events after 16 years of follow-up, with data obtained from national registries. The prognostic value of BP was evaluated with Cox regression models, adjusted for traditional risk factors and target-organ damage, including left ventricular mass, pulse wave velocity, carotid plaques, and urine albumin/creatinine ratio. A total of 323 events were observed. In comparison with traditional risk factors, adding systolic BP and presence of target-organ damage improved risk stratification by increasing concordance index from 0.711 to 0.728 ( P =0.01). In middle-aged subjects with target-organ damage, increment in pulse pressure (hazard ratio, 1.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.31–2.21; P P =0.02) were associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease compared with subjects without target-organ damage: hazard ratio, 1.04 (95% confidence interval, 0.74–1.46; P =0.81); P for interaction, 0.02; and hazard ratio, 0.89 (95% confidence interval, 0.69–1.14; P =0.36); P for interaction, 0.01. Target-organ damage may be a marker of individual susceptibility to the harmful effects of pulse pressure and BP variability on the cardiovascular system in middle-aged individuals.

Background The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) found that intensive blood pressure (BP) lowering reduced the rates of cardiovascular events and mortality but increased the risk of certain adverse events, in patients with and without chronic kidney disease at baseline. However, it is unclear whether intensive BP management is well-tolerated and modifies risk uniformly across the entire spectrum of renal function. Purpose To assess the relationship between renal function, treatment response to intensive BP lowering, and cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. Methods SPRINT was a randomized, controlled trial in which 9,361 individuals ≥50 years of age, at high CV risk but without diabetes who had a systolic BP (SBP) 130–180 mmHg, were randomized to intensive (target SBP Results Baseline eGFR was available for 9,324 (>99%) individuals. Mean eGFR was similar between the two groups (intensive group 71.8 ml/min/1.73m2 vs. standard group 71.7 ml/min/1.73m2; P=0.92). Median follow-up was 3.3 years (range 0–4.8), with 561 primary efficacy events (6%) and 3,522 SAE (38%) recorded during the study period. Baseline eGFR was non-linearly associated with the risk of the primary efficacy endpoint, death from CV causes, death from any cause, acute decompensated heart failure, SAE, electrolyte abnormality, and acute kidney injury (test for non-linearity, P Figure 1 Conclusions In SPRINT, lower eGFR was associated with a greater risk of both CV events and SAE. Patients with higher eGFR appeared to derive more benefit from intensive BP lowering while the relationship with safety events was complex.

Background Incident atrial fibrillation (AF) marks an adverse shift in the prognosis of patients with aortic stenosis (AS). Identifying risk factors for AF is therefore of paramount importance for timely intervention in patients with AS. In patients without AS, brain natriuretic peptides (BNP) is a well-established biomarker for left ventricular pressure overload on the pathway to heart failure and atrial fibrillation. However, a potential role of NT-proBNP to predict risk of new-onset AF in asymptomatic patients with mild to moderate AS is not well studied. Methods We included 1,434 patients with mild to moderate AS from the SEAS Study (Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis) without AF or clinically overt heart failure at baseline. The primary endpoint for this substudy was time to incident AF, as determined by the first annual in-study 12-lead ECG with AF. Multivariable Cox model were adjusted for other important predictors of incident AF as selected by Bayesian statistics. Fine and Gray competing risk regression was used to evaluate the influence of all-cause mortality on selected predictor variables of incident AF. Results During a median follow-up of 4.3 years (range 0.1–6.9 years), incident AF occurred in 114 (6.1%) patients (13.8 per 1,000 person-years of follow-up), who at baseline were older (69±10 vs. 67±10 years, p0.05). Figure 1 Conclusions In patients with asymptomatic aortic stenosis and sinus rhythm at baseline, NT-proBNP levels were significantly higher in patients who subsequently developed AF. NT-proBNP significantly improved prognostic information of incident AF over other important predictor variables. This supports the notion that incident AF is a marker of left ventricular pressure overload and possibly a novel marker of timely intervention with aortic valve replacement.