Search

Aims Materials and Methods Results Conclusions There is conflicting evidence regarding whether excess adiposity without metabolic abnormalities reflects a truly benign phenotype. This study evaluated the independent and joint associations of the presence of excess adiposity and metabolic abnormalities on arterial stiffness.Participants in UK Biobank with body mass index (BMI) and arterial stiffness index (ASI) recorded between 2006 and 2010, free from cardiovascular diseases and not underweight (BMI <18.5 kg/m2) were included. The primary outcome was severity of ASI analysed using multivariate‐adjusted linear regression.Of 162 590 participants, 42.5% were overweight and 24.4% were obese. Within the normal BMI strata, 50.7% had ≥1 metabolic abnormality. Compared to individuals with normal BMI and no metabolic abnormality (reference group), increased BMI or metabolic abnormalities were similarly associated with higher ASI: normal BMI with metabolic abnormalities (adjusted β‐coefficient and 95% CI, 0.35; 0.30–0.40); overweight without metabolic abnormalities (0.32; 0.26–0.37). Individuals with obesity and no metabolic abnormality had higher ASI (0.65; 0.57–0.74) but was lower than individuals with overweight and metabolic abnormalities (0.80; 0.75–0.84). Individuals with obesity and metabolic abnormalities had the highest ASI (1.07; 1.02–1.12) among all six metabolic combinations, p < 0.001 for each versus reference group. Sensitivity analysis suggested higher ASI with increasing number of metabolic abnormalities within BMI categories and higher ASI in the presence of abdominal obesity within metabolic categories.Excess adiposity and metabolic abnormalities are independently associated with increased arterial stiffness to a similar degree, suggesting that metabolically healthy individuals with overweight and obesity are not benign groups. This reinforces the need to prevent excess adiposity and consider primary prevention strategies even before metabolic abnormalities emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some patients with diabetes are unaware that they are prescribed medications for diabetes. The purpose of this study is to determine, using a Japanese nationwide epidemiologic database, the association between unawareness of being prescribed medication for diabetes and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with diabetes. This observational cohort study analyzed data from the JMDC Claims Database between 2005 and 2022, including 94,048 patients with diabetes treated with medications. The primary endpoint was a composite endpoint including myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, heart failure (HF), and atrial fibrillation (AF). We identified 7561 composite CVD endpoints during a mean follow-up of 1199 ± 902 days. Overall, 7779 (8.3 %) patients were unaware of being prescribed medications for diabetes. Those who did not know they were prescribed drugs were younger and had better glycemic control, but these individuals were at higher risk of developing combined CVD [hazard ratio (HR) 1.13, 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) 1.04–1.22]. HRs of unawareness of being prescribed medications for diabetes were 1.33 (95 % CI 1.06–1.68) for MI, 1.13 (95 % CI 0.97–1.31) for stroke, 1.10 (95 % CI 1.00–1.21) for HF, and 1.19 (95 % CI 0.97–1.47) for AF, respectively. In patients with diabetes taking medications for diabetes, even if they are young and have good glycemic control, unawareness of being prescribed medications for diabetes was associated with a greater risk of developing CVD. It is important that they receive adequate education from their healthcare providers to accurately identify their treatment status. [Display omitted] • Being unaware of prescribed medication for diabetes was observed in 8.3 % of individuals with diabetes. • People who were unaware of being prescribed medication for diabetes were younger and had better glycemic control. • Nevertheless, unaware prescription of medication for diabetes was associated with a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine hypertension correlates among the patients' survey characteristics after splitting the sample into two groups based on their age and perform this assessment separately for each of the groups. Materials and methods. A cross-sectional retrospective study among 647 patients was conducted using self-administered EQ-5D 3L, as well as demographic, economic and health questions. Results. The overall self-reported arterial hypertension (AH) prevalence was 36.9%. The sample was split into two groups: 18-54 and 55+ years, with AH prevalence of 23.5% and 51%, respectively. The differences between AH and non-AH patients in each age group were explored. Younger AH patients significantly more often reported fatigue, headache, chest pain and having at least 1 acute condition for the last year than non-hypertensive ones at the same age. Diabetes, asthma/chronic bronchitis and joint pain/arthritis were also more common among younger AH patients. The overall HRQol and self-perceived health were significantly lower among young hypertensive patients, and their median severity index was higher compared to non-hypertensive adults of the same age. They more often experienced moderate pain/discomfort and moderate anxiety/depression. Despite of this, older AH patients reported similar HRQoL compared to non-AH patients. Conclusions. Different comorbidities were found amongst younger and older hypertensive patients. Most of the already known AH correlates were confirmed only among younger adults (18-54 years old). Arterial hypertension leads to significantly lower health-related quality of life, self-perceived health and higher severity index only among the younger group, mainly due to the depression and pain they experience.

Introduction: We sought to examine the association of cancer history with the incidence of individual cardiovascular disease events and to clarify whether the history of cancer modifies the relationship between conventional cardiovascular risk factors and incident cardiovascular disease. Methods: This retrospective cohort study used the JMDC Claims Database, including 3,531,683 individuals. The primary endpoint was the composite cardiovascular disease outcome, which included myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, stroke, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. Results: During a follow-up, 144,162 composite endpoints were recorded. Individuals with a history of cancer had a higher risk of developing composite cardiovascular disease events (hazard ratio [HR] 1.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22–1.29). The HRs for myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, stroke, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation were 1.11 (95% CI 0.98–1.27), 1.15 (95% CI 1.10–1.20), 1.11 (95% CI 1.05–1.18), 1.39 (95% CI 1.34–1.44), and 1.22 (95% CI 1.13–1.32), respectively. Individuals who required chemotherapy for cancer had a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Although conventional risk factors (e.g., overweight/obesity, hypertension, and diabetes) were associated with incident composite cardiovascular disease even in individuals with a history of cancer, the total population-attributable fractions of conventional risk factors were less in individuals with a history of cancer. Conclusion: Individuals with a history of cancer (particularly those requiring chemotherapy) have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Traditional risk factors are important in the development of cardiovascular disease in individuals with and without a history of cancer. In individuals with a history of cancer, however, the total population-attributable fractions of conventional risk factors decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This comprehensive review explores the various scenarios of atherosclerosis, a systemic and chronic arterial disease that underlies most cardiovascular disorders. Starting from an overview of its insidious development, often asymptomatic until it reaches advanced stages, the review delves into the pathophysiological evolution of atherosclerotic lesions, highlighting the central role of inflammation. Insights into clinical manifestations, including heart attacks and strokes, highlight the disease's significant burden on global health. Emphasis is placed on carotid atherosclerosis, clarifying its epidemiology, clinical implications, and association with cognitive decline. Prevention strategies, lifestyle modifications, risk factor management, and nuanced antithrombotic treatment considerations are critical to managing cardiovascular complications, thus addressing a crucial aspect of cardiovascular health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a field of study that strives to replicate aspects of human intelligence into machines. Preventive cardiology, a subspeciality of cardiovascular (CV) medicine, aims to target and mitigate known risk factors for CV disease (CVD). AI's integration into preventive cardiology may introduce novel treatment interventions and AI-centered clinician assistive tools to reduce the risk of CVD. AI's role in nutrition, weight loss, physical activity, sleep hygiene, blood pressure, dyslipidemia, smoking, alcohol, recreational drugs, and mental health has been investigated. AI has immense potential to be used for the screening, detection, and monitoring of the mentioned risk factors. However, the current literature must be supplemented with future clinical trials to evaluate the capabilities of AI interventions for preventive cardiology. This review discusses present examples, potentials, and limitations of AI's role for the primary and secondary prevention of CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Studies have shown that both home-based cardiac rehabilitation (HBCR) and center-based cardiac rehabilitation (CBCR) exhibit comparable efficacy in reducing mortality during short-term follow-up periods of up to 12 months. However, research on sex- and race-specific outcomes associated with HBCR is limited. This study examines all-cause mortality and hospital readmission among patients referred to HBCR, with stratification by sex and race. Methods: This Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) retrospective cohort study followed 6,868 patients from HBCR referral until death, disenrollment, or December 31, 2021. There were 3,835 HBCR graduates, 722 non-graduates, and 2,311 non-enrolled patients. Cox models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) comparing 1) HBCR graduates vs. non-enrolled, and 2) HBCR graduates vs. non-graduates, stratified by sex and race. Differential outcomes among strata were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Results: Among the 6,868 patients referred to HBCR, 4693 (68.3 %) were male, 2,175 (31.7 %) female, 870 (12.7 %) Asian/Pacific Islander, 731 (10.6 %) African American, 1,612 (23.6 %) Hispanic/Latino, and 3,646 non-Hispanic White (53.1 %). Over a mean follow-up period of 2.28 years, HBCR graduates, compared to patients who did not enroll in HBCR, had overall significantly lower risks of all-cause mortality and hospitalization. These results remained significant with stratification by sex and race. Compared to HBCR non-graduates, HBCR graduates overall had significantly lower risks of all-cause mortality and hospitalization. In the same comparison, mortality risk was significantly reduced for male and White patients; risk of hospital readmission was significantly reduced in both sexes, African American, and White patients. Among HBCR graduates, no significant differences in all-cause mortality or hospital readmission were observed across sexes and races. Conclusion: HBCR participation is associated with reduction of all-cause mortality and hospital readmission rates across sexes and races. Notably, we observed benefits at varying levels of engagement, which suggests that even partial completion of HBCR is associated with risk reduction. Among HBCR graduates, we found similar outcomes across sexes and races, which suggests that the program can be effective among diverse patient groups.

Summary: Improved upstream primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) would enable more individuals to lead lives free of CVD. However, there remain limitations in the current provision of CVD primary prevention, where artificial intelligence (AI) may help to fill the gaps. Using the data informatics capabilities at the National University Health System (NUHS), Singapore, empowered by the Endeavour AI system, and combined large language model (LLM) tools, our team has created a real-time dashboard able to capture and showcase information on cardiovascular risk factors at both individual and geographical level- CardioSight. Further insights such as medication records and data on area-level socioeconomic determinants allow a whole-of-systems approach to promote healthcare delivery, while also allowing for outcomes to be tracked effectively. These are paired with interventions, such as the CHronic diseAse Management Program (CHAMP), to coordinate preventive cardiology care at a pilot stage within our university health system. AI tools in synergy allow the identification of at-risk patients and actionable steps to mitigate their health risks, thereby closing the gap between risk identification and effective patient care management in a novel CVD prevention workflow.

[Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural disasters, such as floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall, earthquakes, and tsunamis, can induce stress, which may contribute to the onset and aggravation of various cardiovascular diseases. The circulatory system is most susceptible to the effects of stress, and stress-related cardiovascular diseases, such as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, pulmonary thromboembolism, hypertension, stroke triggered by increased blood pressure, and acute myocardial infarction, can occur during natural disasters. The risk of developing angina pectoris, arrhythmia, sudden cardiac death, and heart failure increases rapidly and can persist for several months. Moreover, treating cardiovascular diseases is essential during the acute phase, and continuous disease management is necessary during the chronic phase. However, disaster medical care for the victims must be given priority during natural disasters, which may cause a delay in diagnosis or access to necessary treatment for pre-existing medical conditions that could worsen or may cause death in patients with cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we summarize the predisposing factors for cardiovascular diseases that have been obtained through disasters such as major earthquakes and provide potential insights to help medical staff prevent the onset and aggravation of cardiovascular diseases during disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Epidemiological studies have shown an association between coronary artery disease (CAD) and osteoporosis. We studied the prevalence of CAD among postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Factors that were significantly associated with CAD were also assessed. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted over a period of 2 years. Consecutive postmenopausal women aged ≥50 years were recruited. The details of an underlying CAD were obtained. Bone biochemical parameters, bone mineral density and body composition were assessed. Results: A total of 370 postmenopausal women with mean (standard deviation [SD]) ages of 61.6 (6.2) and 60.1 (6.0) years and a body mass index of 25.3 (14.1) kg/m² were recruited. Among them, 110 of 370 patients (29.7%) had an underlying CAD and 222 of 370 (60%) had osteoporosis at either the femoral neck or lumbar spine (LS). The odds of CAD among those with osteoporosis were 3.5 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.1-5.9). An LS T-score of ≤-2.2 had a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 45% in predicting CAD (area under the curve, AUC: 0.736; 95% CI: 0.677-0.795; p<0.001). A femoral neck T-score of ≤-1.9 had a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 60% in predicting CAD (AUC: 0.748; 95% CI: 0.696-0.800; p<0.001). On a logistic regression analysis after adjusting for various clinical parameters, femoral neck osteoporosis had the highest odds of CAD. Conclusion: The prevalence of CAD was higher among postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Femoral neck osteoporosis conferred the highest odds of CAD after adjustment for other clinical factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It's a privilege to discuss preventive cardiology with 3 of the foremost U.S. leaders in this growing subspecialty. Preventive cardiology is the practice of primordial, primary, and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. It employs an integrated team of clinicians committed to preventing all forms of cardiovascular disease, including ischemic heart disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and other conditions. Thus, contemporary preventive cardiology extends management beyond dyslipidemic risk reduction and now commonly includes treatment of hypertension, diabetes and other related cardiometabolic disorders, novel cardiovascular risk factors, thrombotic risk, some cardiac genetic disorders, and cardiac disorders specific to women's health, as well as attention to tobacco- and drug-related risks. Preventive cardiologists may simultaneously manage cardiac rehabilitation programs. Among significant innovations are the launch of the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology in 2020, increasing validation and use of coronary artery calcium scoring, prescription of obesity and diabetes pharmaceuticals by cardiologists, and focus on pregnancy as a natural cardiovascular stress test for women with implications for future cardiovascular events. A continuing major barrier is that reimbursement for preventive cardiology services currently does not match the value benefit which accrues to patients and society. Preventive care too often is added late in the course of disease management. In addition to ongoing pharmaceutical and lifestyle research, future directions include incorporation of specific training goals for preventive cardiology in general clinical cardiology training programs and support for registered dietitian reimbursement for services to patients with clinically manifest atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate whether and to what extent changes in cardiovascular health (CVH) based on life's essential 8 (LE8) are associated with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: A total of 7,194 participants were derived from UK Biobank. CVH was evaluated using a modified version of LE8. Participants were classified into three groups according to their LE8 score: high CVH (LE8 score≥80), moderate CVH (50≤LE8 score

Abstract Objective We investigated the association of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (Hs-cTn) with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in non-diabetic individuals. Methods This study included 10,393 participants without known diabetes and cardiovascular disease from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Serum Hs-cTnI and Hs-cTnT concentrations were measured. Prediabetes was defined as fasting blood glucose between 100 and 125 mg/dL or HbA1c between 5.7 and 6.4%. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality risk. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (tROC) curves were utilized to measure the predictive performance of the biomarkers. Net Reclassification Improvement (NRI) were calculated to estimate the improvement in risk classification for adding Hs-cTnT or Hs-cTnI to the standard models based on Framingham risk factors. Results The mean age of the participants was 48.1 ± 19.1 years, with 53.3% being female and 25.8% being prediabetic. After multivariable adjustment, compared to those with Hs-cTnI concentration less than the limit of detection, the HRs (95% CIs) of the participants with Hs-cTnI concentration higher than the 99th upper reference limit were 1.74 (1.35, 2.24) for all-cause mortality and 2.10 (1.36, 3.24) for cardiovascular mortality. The corresponding HRs (95% CIs) for Hs-cTnT were 2.07 (1.53, 2.81) and 2.92 (1.47, 5.80) for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. There was a significant interaction between prediabetes and Hs-cTnI on the mortality risk; a positive relationship was only observed in prediabetic individuals. No interaction was observed between prediabetes and Hs-cTnT on mortality risk. The Areas Under tROC indicated both Hs-cTnT and Hs-cTnI show better predictive performance in cardiovascular mortality than in all-cause mortality. NRI (95% CI) for adding Hs-cTnT to the standard model were 0.25 (0.21, 0.27) and 0.33 (0.26, 0.39) for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The corresponding NRI (95% CI) for Hs-cTnI were 0.04 (0, 0.06) and 0.07 (0.01, 0.13). Conclusions Elevated blood levels of Hs-cTnI and Hs-cTnT are associated with increased mortality. Measurement of Hs-cTnT in non-diabetic subjects, particularly those with prediabetes, may help identify individuals at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and provide early and more intensive risk factor modification.

Objective: The Coronary Artery Risk Detection in Appalachian Communities (CARDIAC) project surveyed cardiometabolic risk factors to identify risk for adult heart disease through a school-based program. This current investigation determined the follow-up status of children who were identified with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level that suggests a diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). We hypothesized deficient follow-up of persons identified with probable FH from screening LDL-C in West Virginia (WV) fifth-grade classes. Other markers suggested ongoing health care for many of these persons. Study design: Between 1998 and 2016, 60 404 children in the fifth grade had LDL-C levels identified through the CARDIAC Project. Of the 632 children who had probable FH, 398 were subsequently identified through the electronic health record, phone calls, and mail surveys. The institutional review board at West Virginia University approved verbal consent for follow-up. Information obtained included any medical care, medications including cholesterol-lowering (CLM), and family history of cardiac events. Results: Of the 398 children previously screened in WV CARDIAC Project, 75 (19%) had follow-up lipid panels. Fifty-six subjects not on a CLM had an LDL-C that was 27.96 ± 93.4 mg/dL lower than the fifth-grade baseline (P

Objective: We aimed to comprehensively assess the impact of dietary nitrate supplementation on blood pressure (BP) and vascular health. Method: We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science until January 2024 to find eligible meta-analyses. For each meta-analysis, the mean difference and its 95% CI were recalculated using a random-effects model. Results: We analyzed 113 studies involving 2013 participants and found that dietary nitrate supplementation can reduce both resting systolic and diastolic BP. Additionally, dietary nitrate can decrease pulse wave velocity and augmentation index while increasing flow-mediated dilation. Also, according to influence analysis results, dietary nitrate supplementation can reduce ambulatory systolic BP, ambulatory diastolic BP, and mean arterial pressure. The BP-lowering effect became more pronounced with increased study duration and nitrate dosage. Conclusion: Dietary nitrate supplementation may reduce BP and enhance vascular health. However, further research is needed on the dose–response relationship, long-term safety, and compliance with dietary nitrate.

We reviewed the literature to date for high-level evidence on the cardiovascular and other health effects of olive oil with a focus on the amount, frequency of use and type of olive oil consumed in prior studies. A total of twelve prospective cohort studies with sample sizes of at least 4000 individuals and one meta-analysis were identified. The majority of cohorts followed individuals aged ≥55 years old, free of cardiovascular disease (CVD) at baseline but at high risk, over periods of 4–10 years and with daily consumption amounts of 10–35 g/day. With the exception of the PREDIMED cohort that employed extra virgin olive oil, most remaining studies did not differentiate between different types of olive oil. Taken together, the data suggests an association between greater olive oil consumption and a lower CVD incidence/mortality and stroke risk. We use this information to evaluate the use of commercially available, capsule-based olive oil dietary supplements and suggest future directions. Notably, achieving minimum total daily doses described in the aforementioned studies would be challenging with current market formulations of olive oil supplements dosed at 1–1.25 g/capsule. Outside of mechanistic studies, little progress has been made in determining the olive oil component(s) underlying the observed health effects given the lack of compositional reporting and consistency across large scale human studies. We propose the use of supplements of varying composition, such as varying total phenolic content, in pragmatic trial designs focused on low-cost methodologies to address this question. • Olive oil consumption is associated with decreased cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality. • Limited clinical data exists in support of consuming extra virgin olive oil with a high phenolic content. • More research is required to ascertain the exact olive oil nutritional composition accounting for observed health benefits. • Olive oil dietary supplement formulations released to date fall short of minimum daily dosing requirements. • We propose their use in clinical trials to determine which olive oil components have a cardioprotective effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: There have been insufficient data on the threshold of body mass index (BMI) for developing diabetes mellitus (DM) and the relationship between change in BMI and the subsequent risk of DM. Objective: We sought to clarify the association of BMI and its change with incident DM. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study using the JMDC Claims Database between 2005 and 2021. We included 3 400 303 individuals without a prior history of DM or usage of glucose-lowering medications. The median age was 44 years, and 57.5% were men. We categorized the study participants into 4 groups: underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m²), normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m²), overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9 kg/m²), and obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²). According to the change in BMI from the initial health check-up to the health check-up 1 year after that, we divided the study participants into 3 groups: ≤-5.0%, -5.0% to +5.0%, and ≥+5.0%. Results: The risk of developing DM increased steeply after BMI exceeded approximately 20 to 21 kg/m². Compared with participants with stable BMI (-5.0% to +5.0%), the relative risk for DM among those whose BMI had increased by 5.0% or more was 1.33 (95% CI 1.31-1.36). In contrast, the relative risk for DM among those whose BMI decreased by 5.0% or more was 0.82 (95% CI 0.80-0.84). Moreover, people classified as normal weight, overweight, and obese reduced the risk of developing DM when they reduced their BMI, whereas the risk of developing DM for people classified as underweight increased when they reduced their BMI. Conclusion: Our findings offer novel insights into improving an optimal bodyweight management strategy to prevent the development of DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: A comprehensive cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention approach should address patients' medical, behavioral, and psychological issues. The aim of this study was to understand the clinician-reported availability of a pertinent CVD preventive workforce across various specialties using a survey study in the southeastern United States, an area with a disproportionate burden of CVD and commonly known as the Stroke Belt. Methods: We surveyed physicians, advanced practice providers (APPs), and pharmacists in internal medicine, family medicine, endocrinology, and cardiology regarding available specialists in CVD preventive practice. We examined categorical variables using the χ² test and continuous variables using the t test/analysis of variance. Results: A total of 263 clinicians from 21 health systems participated (27.6% response rate, 91.5% from North Carolina). Most were women (54.5%) and physicians (72.5%) specializing in cardiology (43.6%) and working at academic centers (51.3%). Overall, most clinicians stated having adequate specialist services to manage hypertension (86.6%), diabetes mellitus (90.1%), and dyslipidemia (84%), with >50% stating having adequate specialist services for obesity, smoking cessation, diet/nutrition, and exercise counseling. Many reported working with an APP (69%) or a pharmacist (56.5%). Specialist services for exercise therapy, psychology, behavioral counseling, and preventive cardiology were less available. When examined across the four specialties, the majority reported having adequate specialist services for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, dyslipidemia, and diet/nutrition counseling. Providers from all four specialties were less likely to work with exercise therapists, psychologists, behavioral counselors, and preventive cardiologists. Conclusions: Amajority of providers expressed having adequate specialists for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, obesity, smoking cessation, diet/nutrition, and exercise counseling. Most worked together with APPs and pharmacists but less frequently with exercise therapists, psychologists, behavioral counselors, and preventive cardiologists. Further research should explore approaches to use and expand less commonly available specialists for optimal CVD preventive care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CAC can be detected on routine chest computed tomography (CT) scans and may contribute to CVD risk estimation, but the accuracy of visual CAC scoring may be affected by the specialty of the interpreting radiologist and/or the use of contrast. The accuracy of visual CAC estimation on non-gated CT scans was evaluated at UT Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) and Parkland Health and Hospital System (PHHS). All adults who underwent CAC scanning and a non-gated CT scan within 6 months were identified and the scores from the two CTs were compared overall and stratified by type of reader and whether contrast was used. Visual CAC categories of none, small, moderate, and large were compared to CAC ​= ​0, 1–99, 100–399, and ≥400, respectively. From 2016 to 2021, 934 patients (mean age 60 ​± ​12 ​y, 43% male, 61% White, 34% Black, 24% Hispanic, 54% from PHHS) had both CT scans. Of these, 441 (47%) had no CAC, 278 (30%) small, 147 (16%) moderate, and 66 (7%) large CAC on non-gated CT. Visual CAC estimates were highly correlated with CAC scores (Kendalls tau-b ​= ​0.76, p ​< ​0.0001). Among those with no visual CAC, 76% had CAC ​= ​0 (72% of contrast-enhanced vs 85% of non-contrast scans, 88% of scans interpreted by CT radiologist vs 78% of those interpreted by other radiologist). In those with moderate-to-large visual CAC, 99% had CAC >0 and 88% had CAC ≥100, including 89% of those with contrast, 90% of those without contrast, 80% of those read by a CT radiologist, and 88% of those read by a non-CT radiologist. Visual CAC estimates on non-gated CT scans are concordant with Agatston score categories from cardiac CT scans. A lack of visual CAC on non-gated CT scans may not be sufficient to "de-risk" patients, particularly for contrast-enhanced scans and those read by non-CT radiologists. However, the presence of moderate-to-large CAC, including on contrasted scans and regardless of radiologist type, is highly predictive of CAC and may be used to identify high-risk patients for prevention interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We investigated the association of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (Hs-cTn) with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in non-diabetic individuals. Methods: This study included 10,393 participants without known diabetes and cardiovascular disease from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Serum Hs-cTnI and Hs-cTnT concentrations were measured. Prediabetes was defined as fasting blood glucose between 100 and 125 mg/dL or HbA1c between 5.7 and 6.4%. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality risk. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (tROC) curves were utilized to measure the predictive performance of the biomarkers. Net Reclassification Improvement (NRI) were calculated to estimate the improvement in risk classification for adding Hs-cTnT or Hs-cTnI to the standard models based on Framingham risk factors. Results: The mean age of the participants was 48.1 ± 19.1 years, with 53.3% being female and 25.8% being prediabetic. After multivariable adjustment, compared to those with Hs-cTnI concentration less than the limit of detection, the HRs (95% CIs) of the participants with Hs-cTnI concentration higher than the 99th upper reference limit were 1.74 (1.35, 2.24) for all-cause mortality and 2.10 (1.36, 3.24) for cardiovascular mortality. The corresponding HRs (95% CIs) for Hs-cTnT were 2.07 (1.53, 2.81) and 2.92 (1.47, 5.80) for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. There was a significant interaction between prediabetes and Hs-cTnI on the mortality risk; a positive relationship was only observed in prediabetic individuals. No interaction was observed between prediabetes and Hs-cTnT on mortality risk. The Areas Under tROC indicated both Hs-cTnT and Hs-cTnI show better predictive performance in cardiovascular mortality than in all-cause mortality. NRI (95% CI) for adding Hs-cTnT to the standard model were 0.25 (0.21, 0.27) and 0.33 (0.26, 0.39) for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The corresponding NRI (95% CI) for Hs-cTnI were 0.04 (0, 0.06) and 0.07 (0.01, 0.13). Conclusions: Elevated blood levels of Hs-cTnI and Hs-cTnT are associated with increased mortality. Measurement of Hs-cTnT in non-diabetic subjects, particularly those with prediabetes, may help identify individuals at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and provide early and more intensive risk factor modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prevention of cardiovascular and related diseases is foundational to attaining ideal cardiovascular health to improve the overall health and well-being of individuals and communities. Social determinants of health and health care inequities adversely affect ideal cardiovascular health and prevention of disease. Achieving optimal cardiovascular health in an effective and equitable manner requires a coordinated multidisciplinary and multilayered approach. In this scientific statement, we examine barriers to ideal cardiovascular health and its related conditions in the context of leveraging existing resources to reduce health care inequities and to optimize the delivery of preventive cardiovascular care. We systematically discuss (1) interventions across health care environments involving direct patient care, (2) leveraging health care technology, (3) optimizing multispecialty/multiprofession collaborations and interventions, (4) engaging local communities, and (5) improving the community environment through healthrelated government policies, all with a focus on making ideal cardiovascular health equitable for all individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association pooled cohort equation (PCE) for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in real-world clinical practice has not been evaluated extensively. The goal of this study was to test the performance of PCE to predict ASCVD risk in the community, and determine if including individuals with values outside the PCE range (ie, age, blood pressure, cholesterol) or statin therapy initiation over follow-up would significantly affect PCE predictive capabilities. The PCE was validated in a community-based cohort of consecutive patients who sought primary care in Olmsted County, Minnesota, between 1997 and 2000, followed-up through 2016. Inclusion criteria were similar to those of PCE derivation. Patient information was ascertained by using the record linkage system of the Rochester Epidemiology Project. ASCVD events (nonfatal and fatal myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke) were validated in duplicate. Calculated and observed ASCVD risk and c-statistics were compared across predefined groups. This study included 30,042 adults, with a mean age of 48.5 ± 12.2 years; 46% were male. Median follow-up was 16.5 years, truncated at 10 years for this analysis. Mean ASCVD risk was 5.6% ± 8.73%. There were 1,555 ASCVD events (5.2%). The PCE revealed good performance overall (c-statistic 0.78) and in sex and race subgroups; it was highest among non-White female subjects (c-statistic 0.81) and lowest in White male subjects (c-statistic 0.77). Out-of-range values and initiation of statin medication did not affect model performance. The PCE performed well in a community cohort representing real-world clinical practice. Values outside PCE ranges and initiation of statin medication did not affect performance. These results have implications for the applicability of current strategies for the prevention of ASCVD. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given rapid advancements in medical science, it is often challenging for the busy clinician to remain up-to-date on the fundamental and multifaceted aspects of preventive cardiology and maintain awareness of the latest guidelines applicable to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. The "American Society for Preventive Cardiology (ASPC) Top Ten CVD Risk Factors 2021 Update" is a summary document (updated yearly) regarding CVD risk factors. This "ASPC Top Ten CVD Risk Factors 2021 Update" summary document reflects the perspective of the section authors regarding ten things to know about ten sentinel CVD risk factors. It also includes quick access to sentinel references (applicable guidelines and select reviews) for each CVD risk factor section. The ten CVD risk factors include unhealthful nutrition, physical inactivity, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, high blood pressure, obesity, considerations of select populations (older age, race/ethnicity, and sex differences), thrombosis/smoking, kidney dysfunction and genetics/familial hypercholesterolemia. For the individual patient, other CVD risk factors may be relevant, beyond the CVD risk factors discussed here. However, it is the intent of the "ASPC Top Ten CVD Risk Factors 2021 Update" to provide a succinct overview of things to know about ten common CVD risk factors applicable to preventive cardiology.

Aims Complications of coronary artery disease (CAD) represent the leading cause of death among adults globally. This study examined the associations and clinical utilities of genetic, sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical risk factors on CAD recurrence. Methods and results Data were from 7024 UK Biobank middle-aged adults with established CAD at enrolment. Cox proportional hazards regressions modelled associations of age at enrolment, age at first CAD diagnosis, sex, cigarette smoking, physical activity, diet, sleep, Townsend Deprivation Index, body mass index, blood pressure, blood lipids, glucose, lipoprotein(a), C reactive protein, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), statin prescription, and CAD polygenic risk score (PRS) with first post-enrolment CAD recurrence. Over a median [interquartile range] follow-up of 11.6 [7.2–12.7] years, 2003 (28.5%) recurrent CAD events occurred. The hazard ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) for CAD recurrence was the most pronounced with current smoking (1.35, 1.13–1.61) and per standard deviation increase in age at first CAD (0.74, 0.67–0.82). Additionally, age at enrolment, CAD PRS, C-reactive protein, lipoprotein(a), glucose, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, deprivation, sleep quality, eGFR, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol also significantly associated with recurrence risk. Based on C indices (95% CI), the strongest predictors were CAD PRS (0.58, 0.57–0.59), HDL cholesterol (0.57, 0.57–0.58), and age at initial CAD event (0.57, 0.56–0.57). In addition to traditional risk factors, a comprehensive model improved the C index from 0.644 (0.632–0.654) to 0.676 (0.667–0.686). Conclusion Sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory factors are each associated with CAD recurrence with genetic risk, age at first CAD event, and HDL cholesterol concentration explaining the most. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women in the United States of America. Despite this, women are underdiagnosed, less often receive preventive care, and are undertreated for CVD compared to men. There has been an increase in sex-specific risk factors and treatments over the past decade; however, sex-specific recommendations have not been included in the guidelines. We aim to highlight recent evidence behind the differential effect of traditional risk factors and underscore sex-specific risk factors with an intention to promote awareness, improve risk stratification, and early implementation of appropriate preventive therapies in women. Recent Findings: Women are prescribed fewer antihypertensives and lipid-lowering agents and receive less cardiovascular care as compared to men. Additionally, pregnancy complications have been associated with increased cardiovascular mortality later in life. Findings from the ARIC study suggest that there is a perception of lower risk of cardiovascular disease in women. The SWEDEHEART study which investigated sex differences in treatment, noted a lower prescription of guideline-directed therapy in women. Women are less likely to be prescribed statin medications by their providers in both primary and secondary prevention as they are considered lower risk than men, while also being more likely to decline and discontinue treatment. A woman's abnormal response to pregnancy may serve as her first physiological stress test which can have implications on her future cardiovascular health. This was supported by the CHAMPs study noting a higher premature cardiovascular risk after maternal complications. Adverse pregnancy outcomes have been associated with a 1.5–4.0 fold increase in future cardiovascular events in multiple studies. Summary: In this review, we highlight the differences in traditional risk factors and their impact on women. Furthermore, we address the sex-specific risk factors and pregnancy-associated complications that increase the risk of CVD in women. Adherence to GDMT may have implications on overall mortality in women. An effort to improve early recognition of CVD risk with implementation of aggressive risk factor control and lifestyle modification should be emphasized. Future studies should specifically report on differences in outcomes between males and females. Increased awareness and knowledge on sex-specific risks and prevention are likely to lower the prevalence and improve outcomes of CVD in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AimsIn patients without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), we examined the prognostic value of risk factors and atherosclerotic extent.Methods and resultsPatients from the long-term CONFIRM registry without prior CAD and without obstructive (≥50%) stenosis were included. Within the groups of normal coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) (N = 1849) and non-obstructive CAD (N = 1698), the prognostic value of traditional clinical risk factors and atherosclerotic extent (segment involvement score, SIS) was assessed with Cox models. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were defined as all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or late revascularization. In total, 3547 patients were included (age 57.9 ± 12.1 years, 57.8% male), experiencing 460 MACE during 5.4 years of follow-up. Age, body mass index, hypertension, and diabetes were the clinical variables associated with increased MACE risk, but the magnitude of risk was higher for CCTA defined atherosclerotic extent; adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for SIS >5 was 3.4 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.3-4.9) while HR for diabetes and hypertension were 1.7 (95% CI 1.3-2.2) and 1.4 (95% CI 1.1-1.7), respectively. Exclusion of revascularization as endpoint did not modify the results. In normal CCTA, presence of ≥1 traditional risk factors did not worsen prognosis (log-rank P = 0.248), while it did in non-obstructive CAD (log-rank P = 0.025). Adjusted for SIS, hypertension and diabetes predicted MACE risk in non-obstructive CAD, while diabetes did not increase risk in absence of CAD (P-interaction = 0.004).ConclusionAmong patients without obstructive CAD, the extent of CAD provides more prognostic information for MACE than traditional cardiovascular risk factors. An interaction was observed between risk factors and CAD burden, suggesting synergistic effects of both.

Background: The aim of this study was to provide insight into the real-life clinical presentation and outcomes of the elderly presenting with acute myocardial infarction from the Turkish Myocardial Infarction registry database. Methods: TURKMI was a nationwide, multicenter, observational, 15-day snapshot registry conducted to address the management of acute myocardial infarction patients admitted to percutaneous intervention-capable hospitals. The present analysis included the comparison of consecutively enrolled acute myocardial infarction patients aged ≥75 and

There is limited understanding of the role of arterial stiffness in cardiovascular disease risk in the pediatric population, lagging behind strong evidence in the adult population. Arterial stiffness progression among adolescents with hypertension has been considered hypertension-mediated vascular damage. However, emerging pediatric reports suggest that arterial stiffness may precede increased blood pressure and hypertension, whereas increased blood pressure from childhood has been associated with signs of cardiac damage in mid-adulthood. Thus, this study used a third variable analytical approach to examine whether arterial stiffness mediates or suppresses the effects of increasing blood pressure on cardiac structure and function in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort of 1,778 adolescents. After an adjustment for cardiometabolic and lifestyle factors, arterial stiffness measured as carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity partly suppressed the association of higher systolic blood pressure with higher left ventricular mass (standardized regression coefficient, β = -0.012; P = 0.017; suppression effect = 4%), partly mediated the associations of higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure with higher relative ventricular wall thickness, and partly suppressed the association of higher diastolic blood pressure with lower left ventricular diastolic function (b = -0.021; P = 0.003; suppression effect = 14.5%). In conclusion, increasing arterial stiffness could attenuate some of the adverse effects of increased blood pressure on cardiac structure and function in adolescents possibly by modifying the Windkessel effects. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The present study demonstrates that the associations of blood pressure with cardiac function and structure in adolescents may be mediated or suppressed by arterial stiffness depending on the blood pressure phenotype: systolic or diastolic. Arterial stiffness may be considered as an intermediate pathway to attenuate the effect of increased blood pressure on altered cardiac structure and function in youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantitative relationship of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) to lifetime cumulative risk factor exposure is not well understood. Using CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) study data, we examined the quantitative associations of cumulative exposure over time to multiple, simultaneously operating risk factors with CVD incidence and the incidence of its components. Regression models were developed quantifying the influence of the time course and severity of multiple CVD risk factors, operating simultaneously, on risk of incident CVD. The outcomes were incident CVD and the incidence of its components: coronary heart disease, stroke, and congestive heart failure. Our study included 4,958 asymptomatic adults enrolled in CARDIA from 1985 to 1986 (ages 18 to 30 years) who were followed for 30 years. Risk of incident CVD depends on the time course and severity of a series of independent risk factors, the impact of which is mediated by their effects on individual CVD components after age 40 years. Cumulative exposure (AUC vs time) to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides was independently associated with risk of incident CVD. Of the blood pressure variables, areas under the mean arterial pressure vs time curve and the pulse pressure vs time curve were strongly and independently associated with incident CVD risk. The quantitative description of the link between risk factors and CVD informs the construction of individualized CVD mitigation strategies, design of primary prevention trials, and assessment of public health impact of risk factor-based interventions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor lifestyle habits, such as physical inactivity and poor diets, are highly prevalent within society and even more so among patients with chronic disease. The need to stem poor lifestyle habits has led to the development of a new field of Lifestyle Medicine, whose mission is to prevent, treat, and even reverse chronic diseases through lifestyle interventions. Three fields within Cardiology relate to this mission: Cardiac Rehabilitation, Preventive Cardiology, and Behavioral Cardiology. Each of these three fields have contributed substantially to the reduction of cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. The historic contributions of these three cardiac fields are reviewed as well as the challenges each of these fields has faced in optimizing the application of lifestyle medicine practices. A shared agenda between Cardiology and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine could further the utilization of behavioral interventions. This review suggests seven steps that could be shared by these organizations and other medical societies. First, there is a need to develop and promulgate the assessment of lifestyle factors as "vital signs" during patient visits. Second, developing a strong partnership between the fields of Cardiology and Physiatry could improve important aspects of cardiac care, including a potential redesign of cardiac stress testing. Third, behavioral evaluations should be optimized at patients' entrée points into medical care since these may be considered "windows of opportunity". Fourth, there is a need to broaden cardiac rehabilitation into inexpensive programs and make this program eligible for patients with risk factors but no known CVD. Fifth, lifestyle medicine education should be integrated into the core competencies for relevant specialties. Sixth, there is a need for inter-societal advocacy to promote lifestyle medicine practices. Seventh, the well-being effects of healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as their impact on one's sense of vitality, should be emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Anthracycline chemotherapy and thoracic radiation therapy (RT) are known causes of cardiomyopathy among cancer survivors, however, management guidelines for this population are lacking. In this study we describe our single institution management approach for cancer survivors with low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) secondary to cancer treatment. Methods We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of childhood and young adult (CAYA) cancer survivors in the Adult Long-Term Follow-Up Clinic at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center enrolled between November 2005 and July 2019. Those included were treated with anthracycline and/or thoracic RT as a part of their cancer therapy and had recorded a LVEF of

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to detect possible differences in reversible cardiac remodeling occurring in sport training and twin pregnancy. Background: cardiac remodeling occurs in athletes and pregnant women due to training and fetal requirements, respectively. These changes could be apparently similar. Methods 21 female elite athletes (23.2 ± 5.3 years), 25 women with twin pregnancies (35.4 ± 5.7 years) and 25 healthy competitive female athletes (controls), age-matched with pregnant women (34.9 ± 7.9 years), were enrolled. This latter group was included to minimize the effect of age on cardiac remodeling. All women evaluated through anamnestic collection, physical examination, 12 leads ECG, standard echocardiogram and strain analysis. Sphericity (SI) and apical conicity (ACI) indexes were also calculated. Results Pregnant women showed higher LA dimension (p

Background Understanding current trends in cholesterol screening, lipid levels, and lipid management therapies may inform health policy and practice. Methods and Results In 50 928 US adult National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) participants, trends were assessed in cholesterol screening, mean levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low‐density‐lipoprotein cholesterol, and lipid‐lowering medication use from 1999 through 2018. Point estimates were also calculated using the 2017 to March 2020 prepandemic data set. The age‐ and sex‐adjusted proportion of having cholesterol screened within 5 years increased from 63.2% (95% CI, 60.0–66.3) in 1999 to 2000 to 72.5% (95% CI, 69.5–75.3) in 2017 to 2018 (P

Background There is a scarcity of validated rapid dietary screening tools for patient use in the clinical setting to improve health and reduce cardiovascular risk. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2015 measures compliance with the 2015 to 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans but requires completion of an extensive diet assessment to compute, which is time consuming and impractical. The authors hypothesize that a 19‐item dietary survey assessing consumption of common food groups known to affect health will be correlated with the HEI‐2015 assessed by a validated food frequency questionnaire and can be further reduced without affecting validity. Methods and Results A 19‐item Eating Assessment Tool (EAT) of common food groups was created through literature review and expert consensus. A cross‐sectional survey was then conducted in adult participants from a preventive cardiology clinic or cardiac rehabilitation and in healthy volunteers (n=661, mean age, 36 years; 76% women). Participants completed an online 156‐item food frequency questionnaire, which was used to calculate the HEI score using standard methods. The association between each EAT question and HEI group was analyzed by Kruskal‐Wallis test. Linear regression models were subsequently used to identify univariable and multivariable predictors for HEI score for further reduction in the number of items. The final 9‐item model of Mini‐EAT was validated by 5‐fold cross validation. The 19‐item EAT had a strong correlation with the HEI score (r=0.73) and was subsequently reduced to the 9 items independently predictive of the HEI score: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, refined grains, fish or seafood, legumes/nuts/seeds, low‐fat dairy, high‐fat dairy, and sweets consumption, without affecting the predictive ability of the tool (r=0.71). Conclusions Mini‐EAT is a 9‐item validated brief dietary screener that correlates well with a comprehensive food frequency questionnaire. Future studies to test the Mini‐EAT's validity in diverse populations and for development of clinical decision support systems to capture changes over time are needed.

Pollution is a leading cause of premature morbidity and mortality and an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Convincing data predict increased rates of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality with current and projected pollution burden trends. Multiple classes of pollutants – including criteria air pollutants, secondhand smoke, toxic steel pollutants, and manufactured chemical pollutants – are associated with varied cardiovascular disease risk profiles. To reduce the future risk of cardiovascular disease from anthropogenic pollution, mitigation strategies, both at the individual level and population level, must be thoughtfully and intentionally employed. The literature supporting individual level interventions to protect against cardiovascular disease is growing but lacks large clinical trials. Population level interventions are crucial to larger societal change and rely upon policy and governmental support. While these mitigation strategies can play a major role in maintaining the health of individuals, planetary health – the impact on human health because of anthropogenic perturbation of natural ecosystems – must also be acknowledged. Future research is needed to further delineate the planetary health implications of current and projected pollutant burden as well as the mitigation strategies employed to attenuate future pollutant burden.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Healthcare expenditures have been principally allocated toward treatment of CVD at the end of the health/disease continuum, rather than toward health promotion and disease prevention. A focused effort on both primordial and primary prevention can promote cardiovascular health and reduce the burden of CVD. Risk-factor assessment for predicting atherosclerotic CVD events serves as the foundation of preventive cardiology and has been driven by population-based scoring algorithms based on traditional risk factors. Incorporating individual nontraditional risk factors, biomarkers, and selective use of noninvasive measures may help identify more at-risk patients as well as truly low-risk individuals, allowing for better targeting of treatment intensity. Using a combination of validated population-based atherosclerotic CVD risk-assessment tools, nontraditional risk factors, social health determinants, and novel markers of atherosclerotic disease, we should be able to improve our ability to assess CVD risk. Through scientific evidence, clinical judgment, and discussion between the patient and clinician, we can implement an effective evidence-based strategy to assess and reduce CVD risk.

Objective: Patients with silent and undiagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF) have increased risk of ischemic stroke. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have an increased risk of both AF and ischemic stroke. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of silent AF and associated risk factors in patients investigated for OSA or with known OSA.Methods: This prospective observational study was performed in two sites; one outpatient sleep-clinic at Zealand University Hospital and one private Ear-Nose- and Throat clinic. Patients were investigated with a type-3 portable sleep-monitoring device, while heart rhythm was home-monitored for 7 days with an event-triggered loop recorder. Patients were stratified in groups of mild, moderate and severe OSA based on Apnea-Hypopnea-Index (AHI).Results: In a cohort of 303 patients, 238 (78.5%) were diagnosed with moderate/or severe OSA and 65 (21.5%) with no/mild OSA who constituted the control group. In 238 patients with moderate and severe OSA, AF was detected in 21 patients (8.8%) vs. 1 patient (1.5%,[p=0.045]) with mild OSA. Candidates for anticoagulation therapy were referred for further cardiovascular treatment. The majority of patients had known hypertension (n = 200,66%) and dyslipidemia (n = 235,[77.6%]) In patients with moderate/or severe OSA (AHI≥15), hypertension was more dysregulated (p=0.005) and more patients suffered from unknown prediabetes (n = 36, 3.1% vs. 14.3%[p<0.001]).Conclusion: Undiagnosed AF and undertreated cardiovascular modifiable risk factors are common in a cohort of patients with OSA. With this study we propose that long-period home-monitoring in these patients is useful for identifying candidates for preventive anticoagulation, cardiovascular treatment and possibly prevent future ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with cancer are at increased risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). It is unclear if the Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) risk score at incident AMI is reflective of this higher risk in patients with prior cancer than those without. Methods: We linked nationwide AMI and cancer registries from 2008 to 2019. A total of 18,200 eligible patients with ASCVD risk score calculated at incident AMI were identified (1086 prior cancer; 17,114 no cancer). Results: At incident AMI, age-standardized mean ASCVD risk was lower in the prior cancer group (18.6%) than no cancer group (20.9%) (p < 0.001). Prior to incident AMI, smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus were better controlled in the prior cancer group. However post-AMI, prior cancer was associated with lower guideline-directed medical therapy usage and higher all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 1.85, 95% confidence interval 1.66–2.07). Conclusions: AMI occurred despite better control of cardiovascular risk factors and lower age-standardized estimated mean 10-year ASCVD risk among patients with prior cancer than no cancer. Prior cancer was associated with lower guideline-directed medical therapy post-AMI and higher mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]