Top in cardiology: Heart complications in COVID-19; safety of hormone therapy
A recent study found that men were more likely than women to have cardiovascular complications during hospitalization with COVID-19.
“The higher risk of severe COVID-19 in men is not solely explained by their higher prevalence of preexisting cardiovascular disease,” Carinna Hockham, DPhil, MSc, BA, a research associate and U.K. program manager of the Global Women’s Health Program of The George Institute for Global Health, Imperial College London, told Healio.
It was the top story in cardiology last week.
Another top story was about the safety of menopausal hormone therapy. Leslie Cho, MD, director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Women’s Cardiovascular Center, said that “many cardiologists are reluctant to prescribe hormone therapy to patients with symptoms of menopause because of concerns with CVD risk.” However, a new review found that menopausal hormone therapy was safe for most women at low risk for CVD.
Read these and more top stories in cardiology below:
CV complications in COVID-19 more common in men than women, not explained by prior CVD
Among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, men were more likely than women to have cardiovascular complications, but the difference was not explained by lower rates of past CVD in women, researchers reported in BMJ Medicine. Read more.
Menopausal hormone therapy safe for most women at low CVD risk
Menopausal hormone therapy for bothersome vasomotor or other symptoms was safe and appropriate for most women at low atherosclerotic CVD risk, whereas a nuanced approach is needed for intermediate-risk women, researchers reported. Read more.
More volunteer responders increase odds for bystander defibrillation before ambulance
In out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, the number of volunteer responders arriving before an ambulance was associated with increased bystander defibrillation rates, researchers reported. Read more.
Hypertension, HIV increase CVD risk
Hypertension was associated with an increased risk for CVD in both individuals with and without HIV, researchers reported in Hypertension. Read more.
The potential next pathway to target in CVD prevention: ‘Common’ elevated Lp(a)
About 20% of the global population and one in five U.S. adults have elevated levels of lipoprotein(a), a complex form of LDL that strongly predicts risk for coronary disease and aortic valve stenosis. Read more.