January 6th, 2021Robust evidence from a large meta-analysis published in Hypertension confirms that a difference in blood pressure readings between arms is linked to greater risk of heart attack, stroke and death. The study provides a new upper limit of 'normal' for...
Memory, concentration and other cognitive functions decline faster among middle-aged and older adults who have high blood pressure than those who do not, while even seemingly slight blood pressure elevation during middle and older age is linked to a...Cardiovascular
While high doses of steroids are known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the impact of lower doses is unknown, a Leeds University study in PLOS Medicine suggests that even low doses of glucocorticoid may increase the risk of...
November 18th, 2020Aspirin added significantly to the benefits of a low-cost ‘polypill’ approach for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in an intermediate-risk population, the TIPS-3 study has found, according to research published in The New England...
Low-dose omega-3 fatty acids offered no cardiovascular benefit over corn oil placebo in two randomised trials of high-risk patients, resurfacing old questions about why REDUCE-IT managed a positive result with icosapent ethyl (Vascepa), writes...Cardiovascular
An X-ray test commonly used to assess hardening of the arteries could help doctors decide whether the benefits of taking aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke outweigh the risks of bleeding from its use, UT Southwestern research...
October 28th, 2020In one of the largest studies to use nutritional biomarkers to estimate intake of bioactive food compounds, a UK study published in Nature found a a meaningful association between flavanol consumption and lower blood pressure.
People who consume...
A two-year study by the University of Leeds has for the first-time linked treatment for initial signs of rheumatoid arthritis with improvements in vascular stiffness – an indicator of cardiovascular disease.
Having rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is...Cardiovascular
Setting targets for ‘bad’ (LDL) cholesterol levels to ward off heart disease and death in those at risk might seem intuitive, but a systematic review of decades of research have failed to show any consistent benefit for this approach, reveals an...Cardiovascular
A large-scale study led by the University of Exeter and funded by NIHR, analysed 415,980 electronic medical records of older adults in England. The research was conducted after some countries have changed blood pressure guidelines to encourage...
February 26th, 2020
There has been considerable confusion from three large-scale randomised trials of aspirin in high risk primary prevention subjects, leaving doctors understandably confused about whether or not to prescribe aspirin for primary prevention of heart...
February 19th, 2020
In a small study of 44 peripheral artery disease patients over age 60, those who drank a beverage containing flavanol-rich cocoa three times a day for six months were able to walk up to 42.6 meters further in a 6-minute walking test, compared to...
An observational and modelling study which used individual-level data from almost 400,000 people extends existing research because it suggests that increasing levels of non-HDL cholesterol may predict long-term cardiovascular risk by the age of 75...
December 4th, 2019
Adults as young as 25, not only older people, need to know their “bad cholesterol” (non-HDL) levels so they can change their lifestyle or take drugs to protect themselves against heart attacks and strokes in later life. The landmark study,...
October 16th, 2019
Those who've never had a heart attack or stroke, should not be taking daily aspirin to prevent them, found a Canadian review of three large, randomised, placebo-controlled studies published in 2018, which showed the risk of major internal bleeding...
September 11th, 2019The latest UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on antihypertensives "should be welcomed" as "a pragmatic compromise", writes The Lancet in an editorial.
The latest UK National Institute for Health and...
