Primary Prevention

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has published a final recommendation that advises against the initiation of low-dose aspirin for primary CVD prevention in adults aged 60 years or older, a D-grade recommendation.

WASHINGTON — A higher coronary artery calcium burden may predict incident sudden cardiac death independent of other atherosclerotic CVD risk factors, particularly for primary prevention patients, researchers reported.

In a post hoc subgroup analysis of the ASPREE trial, those taking aspirin before the trial who were assigned placebo did not experience serious benefits or harms, researchers reported.

Statins remain widely underused across most low- and middle-income countries, with about one in 10 eligible people using statins for primary prevention and about one in five eligible people using them for secondary prevention.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended statins for the primary prevention of CVD in patients aged 40 to 75 years with at least one CVD risk factor and 10% or greater 10-year risk for CVD.

Aspirin use for primary atherosclerotic CVD prevention continues to be prevalent in adults aged 70 years or older despite contrary guideline recommendations, according to data published in the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology recently released the first chest pain guideline written under their purview.

In a meta-analysis of randomized trials that included patients with CAD, nonfatal MI was not an adequate surrogate for all-cause or CV mortality, researchers reported.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force no longer recommends aspirin for primary CVD prevention in adults aged 60 years or older, according to a draft recommendation issued today.

Messaging built into an existing electronic health records system to directly connect physicians may increase screening and diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia among patients identified as being high risk, a speaker reported.