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Top cardiology news from April: Primary prevention challenges, statin use in diabetes and more
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The alphabet soup of primary CV prevention
The 2019 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, recently released at the ACC Scientific Session in New Orleans, emphasizes social determinants of health for healthy lifestyle behavior as a critical foundation for atherosclerotic CVD risk reduction. Currently, 1 in 3 Americans has ASCVD, with the estimated proportion to reach 1 in 2 by 2030. Although advances in prevention have played a tremendous role in reducing CV morbidity and mortality over the years, CVD rate reduction has plateaued due to the worsening obesity and diabetes epidemics.
Guideline-recommended statin therapy use low in diabetes
NEW ORLEANS — There are significant gaps in the recommended use of statin therapy in patients with diabetes despite elevated risk, according to findings presented at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Session.
Newer guidelines identify more cases of pediatric hypertension
Guidelines implemented by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2017 identified more children with adverse metabolic profiles in childhood and elevated CV risk in adulthood compared with the 2004 guidelines, according to findings published in Hypertension.
New antiplatelet may lower bleeding risk in stroke
The novel antiplatelet agent ACT017 confers reduced risk for bleeding in healthy volunteers and may be a safe and effective alternative for patients with stroke, according to early findings published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.
Midlife resting heart rate of 75 beats per minute may increase CV, mortality risk in men
Men with a resting heart rate of 75 beats per minute or higher in midlife had an increased risk for CV events and death, compared with men whose resting heart rate was unchanged over 2 decades of follow-up, according to a study published in Open Heart.
Moderate alcohol intake increases BP, stroke risk in men
In a genetic epidemiological study, the assumed protective effect of moderate alcohol consumption on CV events was noncausal, and any level of alcohol consumption was associated with increased BP and stroke risk in men.
Harmful medications prescribed to nearly 25% of patients with HFrEF
Approximately 24% of patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction were prescribed a medication that could potentially lead to or worsen HF as defined by current guidelines, according to a study published in The American Journal of Cardiology.
Aspirin therapy for primary prevention of CVD requires individualized approach
The use of aspirin for the primary prevention of CVD continues to perplex the cardiology community, especially after the publication of three randomized controlled trials of aspirin in 2018 and a new guideline suggesting the practice should not be done in most patients.
Low LDL, triglycerides increase stroke risk in women
Women with LDL levels below 70 mg/dL and low triglyceride levels had increased risk for hemorrhagic stroke, according to a study published in Neurology.
Skipping breakfast increases CVD mortality risk
Adults who skipped breakfast had a significantly increased risk for CV mortality, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.