Comparison of arterial functional evaluations as a predictor of cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients: the Non-Invasive Atherosclerotic Evaluation in Hypertension (NOAH) study

Increased arterial stiffness and impaired vasodilator response have been associated with cardiovascular events in high-risk patients. However, whether arterial changes predict the occurrence of hypertensive complications is still unclear. Therefore, we designed a hospital-based cohort study to examine the prognostic impact of arterial functional changes on stroke and cardiovascular diseases in hypertensive patients. The study employed 676 patients with essential hypertension. At baseline, we evaluated second-derived photoplethysmography, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), and forearm reactive hyperemia. We classified subjects into quartile groups according to the baseline measurements of these evaluations and assessed the ability of each measure to predict stroke and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). During a mean follow-up period of 57 months, 52 strokes, 40 CVD, and 22 deaths were recorded. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients in the highest quartile of PWV showed a higher frequency of stroke and CVD (p<0.0001) and total mortality (p=0.0016), and those in the highest quartile of reactive hyperemia showed a lower frequency of stroke and CVD (p=0.0415). A Cox hazard model identified that classification in the highest quartile of PWV (relative risk=2.717) and reactive hyperemia (0.416) were predictive of stroke and CVD after adjustment for other risk factors. In subjects who did not experience stroke or CVD before the study period (n=558), only PWV was related with the occurrence of stroke and CVD based on the Cox hazard model. In conclusion, increased aortic stiffness evaluated by PWV is more prognostic of cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients than several non-invasive atherosclerotic evaluations.     

Lifestyle and Primordial Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: Challenges and Opportunities

The goal of primordial prevention is to prevent the risk factors which lead to disease. Successful implementation of primordial prevention in the context of chronic disease requires that healthy behaviors become normative. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its associated risk factors are generally preventable. Specifically, the attainment of ideal levels of four lifestyle factors (non-smoking, normal weight, physical activity, and healthy diet) results in lower CVD morbidity and mortality, as well as related biological risk factors (hypertension, elevated blood glucose, and hypercholesterolemia). Challenges to primordial prevention of CVD include recent adverse trends in lifestyle factors and persisting health disparities. Opportunities exist for public health policy and life course approaches to prevention. Changes in public health policy that successfully target these modifiable lifestyle factors have the potential to not only affect CVD, but other chronic diseases as well.     

Clustering of biological risk factors for cardiovascular disease and the longitudinal relationship with lifestyle of an adolescent population: the Northern Ireland Young Hearts Project

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether clustering of biological cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors exists and to investigate the longitudinal relationship between lifestyle parameters (dietary intake, physical activity and smoking behaviour) and clustering of biological CVD risk factors, which was defined as belonging to one or more sex-specific 'high-risk' quartiles for the ratio between levels of total serum cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure, body fatness (sum of four skinfolds) and cardiopulmonary fitness (number of laps accomplished on a 20 m shuttle-run test). METHODS: The study was part of the Northern Ireland Young Hearts Project, a 3-year observational longitudinal study concerning adolescent boys (n=229) and girls (n=230) who were initially aged 12 years. The longitudinal relationships were analysed with generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Significant clustering of biological CVD risk factors was observed both for boys and for girls, but the stability over time was rather low. Smoking was the only lifestyle parameter related to this clustering and was observed only among girls (rate ratio 1.5, P < 0.01); furthermore, none of the lifestyle parameters was significantly related to this clustering. CONCLUSIONS: Because biological CVD risk factors tend to cluster, it is important to investigate these risk factors together. However, for subjects in this age group, according to our analysis, lifestyle parameters were hardly related to this clustering.     

中国35～64岁人群血清甘油三酯与心血管病发病危险的关系

目的 探讨我国35～64岁人群血清甘油三酯(TG)与心血管病发病危险的关系.方法 采用前瞻性队列研究的方法,利用中国多省市心血管病危险因素队列研究30 378人的资料,通过对基线血清TG不同水平人群12年间(1992-2004年)急性冠心病事件、缺血性脑卒中事件和出血性脑卒中事件发病风险进行比较,研究TG对各类心血管病发病风险的影响.结果 (1)TG与急性冠心病事件的发病危险有明确的关系.急性冠心病事件的人年发病率在TG水平较低时(TG≥1.15mmol/L)开始增加,TG水平上四分之一分位组(TG≥1.60 retool/L)人群的急性冠心病事件人年发病率是TG水平下四分之一分位组(TG＜0.81 retool/L)的2.7倍(168.4/10万,62.6/10万).(2)应用COX回归分析调整了多种其他危险因素后,TG水平对12年间急性冠心病的发病风险有独立的预测作用.分析未发现TG与缺血性脑卒中和出血性脑卒中的发病危险存在关联.结论 在35～64岁中国人群中,TG是急性冠心病事件发病的独立危险因素.急性冠心病事件的发病危险从TG≥1.15mmot/L即开始升高.     

Association between heart rate and multiple risk factor syndrome: cross-sectional analysis of a screened cohort in Okinawa, Japan.

BACKGROUND: Increased heart rate (HR) and metabolic syndrome are risk factors for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, but their relationship has not been studied in a large, screened cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS: The association between HR and multiple risk factor syndrome, resembling metabolic syndrome, was examined in participants of a health evaluation program in 1997. Of the 8,432 subjects (5,223 males, 3,209 females, 18-89 years of age), 1,502 (1,185 males, 317 females) were diagnosed with multiple risk factor syndrome and these subjects had higher HR than those without the syndrome (p<0.0001); subjects with a higher number of risk factors had higher HR than those with fewer risk factors (males, p<0.0001; females, p<0.0001). After adjusting for age, sex, and lifestyle factors, subjects within the highest HR quartile had a 2.5-fold higher risk for multiple risk factor syndrome than those in the lowest quartile (p<0.0001). An increase of 10 beats/min was associated with an approximately 30% increase in the risk for multiple risk factor syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: A higher HR is closely associated with multiple risk factor syndrome.     

Absolute and attributable risks of cardiovascular disease incidence in relation to optimal and borderline risk factors: comparison of African American with white subjects--Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

BACKGROUND: Among white Americans, a large proportion of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events is explained by borderline or any elevated CVD risk factor levels. The degree to which this is true among African American subjects is unclear. METHODS: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study included 14 162 middle-aged adults who were free of recognized stroke or coronary heart disease and had baseline information on risk factors. Based on national guidelines, we categorized risk factors (blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diabetes, and smoking) into 3 categories, ie, optimal, borderline, and elevated. Incidence of CVD (composite of stroke and coronary heart disease) (n = 1492) and CVD mortality (n = 612) were identified for a 13-year period. RESULTS: The proportion of subjects with all optimal risk factor levels was lower in African American (3.8%) than in white (7.5%) subjects. Conversely, the proportion of subjects with at least 1 elevated risk factor was higher in African American (approximately 80%) than in white (approximately 60%) subjects. After adjustment for these risk factor differences and education level, African American and white subjects had virtually identical rates of CVD (relative hazard for African American subjects, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 0.90-1.14). The proportion of CVD events explained by elevated risk factors was high in African American subjects (approximately 90%) compared with approximately 65% in white subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The higher CVD incidence rate in African American than in white subjects seems largely attributable to a high frequency of elevated CVD risk factors in African American subjects. Primary prevention of elevated CVD risk factors in African American subjects might greatly reduce CVD occurrence as much as it has for white subjects.     

A Healthier Lifestyle Pattern for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Is Associated With Better Bone Mass in Southern Chinese Elderly Men and Women

Lifestyle factors have been linked to bone health, however little is known about their combined impact on bone. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and osteoporosis are 2 major public health problems that share some common pathophysiology. We aimed to assess whether higher adherence to American Heart Association diet and lifestyle recommendations (AHA-DLR) was associated with better bone health in Chinese elderly.This was a cross-sectional study using data from the largest population-based study on osteoporosis in Asia (Mr and Ms Os, Hong Kong). The study recruited 4000 independent walking Chinese men and women aged ≥65 year. Information on demographic, health, and lifestyle factors was obtained by standardized questionnaires. An overall lifestyle score was estimated based on a modified adherence index of AHA-DLR. Bone mineral measurements of the whole body, total hip, lumbar spine, and femoral neck were made by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.Most lifestyle factors alone were not significantly associated bone mass. Overall lifestyle score in the highest quartile compared with the lowest quartile had significantly better bone mass at all sites in a dose–response manner. Every 10-unit of lifestyle score increase was associated with 0.005, 0.004, and 0.007 g/cm² increases of bone mineral density (BMD) at whole body, femur neck, and total hip, respectively (all P < 0.05), and 13.2% (odds ratio 0.868; 95% CI 0.784, 0.961) decreased risk of osteoporosis at total hip after adjustment for potential covariates.Our study suggested that greater adherence to an overall healthy lifestyle for CVD risk reduction was associated with better bone mass among Chinese elderly.     

Guidelines for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Women: A Summary of Recommendations

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of mortality in women. The first evidence-based guidelines for the prevention of CVD in women were developed in 2004 and updated this year. The 2007 guidelines place more emphasis on women's overall lifetime coronary heart disease risk, as opposed to short-term absolute risk, than did the 2004 recommendations. Depending on the criteria met, women are classified as being at high risk, at risk, or at optimal risk. The authors provide an overview of the recommendations in the 3 different categories: lifestyle interventions, major risk factor interventions, and preventive drug interventions.     

Global preventive policies. Strategies at European and worldwide level

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), of which coronary heart disease is the most common, are the major causes of death in middle-aged and older patients in most developed countries and in many developing countries. The comprehensive action for CVD prevention has to include: a) "population" strategy--for altering the lifestyle and environmental factors in the entire population, and b) "high-risk" strategy--identification of people at high cardiovascular risk. The principles for CVD prevention were described by several International Heart Health Conferences: Victoria Declaration (1992), Catalonia Declaration (1996), Singapore Declaration (1998), Osaka Declaration (2001), International Principles for National and Regional Guidelines on CVD Prevention (2004), Luxemburg Declaration (2005), and European Heart Health Charter (2006). There is an international consensus among guidelines regarding the priorities and goals for CVD prevention, lifestyles and risk factor management, and use of cardioprotective medication. Patients with established CVD are considered to be a top priority for prevention. For healthy individuals, the decision to treat blood pressure or lipids depends on the level of absolute multifactorial risk for developing CVD. The risk charts and tables can be used to decide the likelihood of cardiovascular events and the intensity of risk factor management. The guidelines provide guidance to policy-makers and health care workers on how to target high risk people in different resource settings, using evidence-based and cost-effective preventive approaches.     

Effectiveness of multidisciplinary patient counselling in reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors through nonpharmacological intervention: results from the Healthy Heart Program

BACKGROUND: The value of lifestyle modification in reducing physiological cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors remains controversial because changes in patient behaviour following CVD prevention counseling have failed to correlate with or impact reductions in physiological variables. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether nonpharmacological CVD prevention counselling significantly reduces behavioural and physiological risk factors, and to examine correlations between changes in these variables. METHODS: At baseline, dyslipidemic individuals with or at risk of developing CVD completed CVD risk factor questionnaires. At baseline and three months, participants submitted dietary logs, self-classified their readiness for behaviour change for eight lifestyles, and had their blood lipid profiles, weight and height assessed. Following CVD risk factor screening, lower and higher risk participants were recommended for multidisciplinary group counselling (GC) or group plus individual counselling (GIC), respectively. A prospective time series design assessed behavioural and physiological risk factor changes. RESULTS: Participants progressed forward (P<0.01) through the stage of change continuum for all behaviours. GIC participants progressed to a higher average stage of behaviour change for achieving optimal body weight (P<0.01), drinking less alcohol (P<0.05) and controlling blood pressure (P<0.05). Significant reductions in body mass index (2.1% and 1.9%), total cholesterol (7.0% and 5.5%), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (6.2% and 5.4%), total cholesterol to high density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (5.1% and 3.8%) and triglyceride levels (10.8% and 8.5%) were observed in GC and GIC participants, respectively. Furthermore, significant correlations were observed between concurrent changes in lifestyle behaviour and physiological risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Multidisciplinary CVD prevention counseling positively influenced participant readiness for lifestyle behaviour change which translated into significant reductions in several physiological risk factors.     

Cardiovascular disease in diabetes and the cardiometabolic syndrome: Focus on minority women

Diabetes and the cardiometabolic syndrome (CMS) are evolving as global epidemics. In the United States, diabetes affects 20 million people, with 47 million afflicted with the CMS. These disorders have a higher propensity for women, particularly in minority populations with disproportionate increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Despite the decline in CVD mortality rates in the general population over the past 35 years parallel to the advances in therapeutic interventions, these rates have increased in women with diabetes. Early preventive measures for CVD risk factor through behavioral and lifestyle modification, smoking cessation, and reduction in psychosocial stressors, as well as pharmacotherapy, are among the currently supported approaches to CVD risk reduction in this high-risk population. In this article, we discuss CVD in people with diabetes and the CMS, with emphasis on minority women, a particularly vulnerable population.     

Intensive lifestyle modification: impact on cardiovascular disease risk factors in subjects with and without clinical cardiovascular disease

Intensive lifestyle modification programs are intended to stabilize or promote regression of coronary artery disease; however, clinical response is often nonuniform, complicating appropriate utilization of resources and prediction of outcome. This study assessed physiological and psychological benefits to 72 persons participating in a prospective, nonrandomized, fourcomponent lifestyle change program and compared response between patients with clinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) and patients with elevated risk factors for CVD but without clinical manifestations of disease. Subjects entering the program due to elevated risk factor levels alone demonstrated equal or greater benefit, in terms of improvement in primary CVD risk factors and reduction in measures of coronary disease risk developed in the Framingham Heart Study, than those with clinical CVD. These findings suggest that intensive lifestyle change programs may be important for primary prevention in individuals at increased risk of CVD.     

Lifestyle and cardiovascular disease in middle-aged British men: the effect of adjusting for within-person variation.

AIMS: To examine the effect that within-person variation has on the estimated risk associations between cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, and increased body mass index (BMI) and the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in middle-aged British men. METHODS AND RESULTS: In total, 6452 men aged 40-59 with no prior evidence of CVD were followed for major CVD events (fatal/non-fatal myocardial infarction or stroke) and all-cause mortality over 20 years; lifestyle characteristics were ascertained at regular points throughout the study. A major CVD event within the first 20 years was observed in 1194 men (18.5%). Use of baseline assessments of cigarette smoking and physical activity in analyses resulted in underestimation of the associations between average cumulative exposure to these factors and major CVD risk. After correction for within-person variation, major CVD rates were over four times higher for heavy smokers (> or =40 cigarettes/day) compared with never smokers and three times higher for physically inactive men compared with moderately active men. Major CVD risk increased by 6% for each 1 kg/m(2) increase in usual BMI. If all men had experienced the risk levels of the men who had never regularly smoked cigarettes, were moderately active, and had a BMI of < or =25 kg/m(2) (6% of the population), 66% of the observed major CVD events would have been prevented or postponed (63% before adjustment for within-person variation). Adjustment for a range of other risk factors had little effect on the results. Similar results were obtained for all-cause mortality. CONCLUSION: Failure to take account of within-person variation can lead to underestimation of the importance of lifestyle characteristics in determining CVD risk. Primary prevention through lifestyle modification has a great preventive potential.     

Triglycerides and risk for coronary artery disease

Triglycerides (TGs) are now considered an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). When TGs are elevated, lipoprotein metabolism is altered, which increases CVD risk. Patients with elevated TGs and low high-density lipoprotein are at particularly high risk of CVD. TGs are often associated with other CVD risk factors, such as obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, low HDL cholesterol, lifestyle factors, and changes in lipoprotein size and density. Elevated TGs remain an independent risk even when controlling for the other factors and are a greater risk for women than men. Treatment of elevated TGs in clinical trials has been shown to reduce CVD events, cardiac deaths, and total mortality.     

Salud cardiovascular y renal en la mujer: la preeclampsia como marcador de riesgo

BackgroundCardiovascular (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in women have unique risk factors related to hormonal status and obstetric history that must be taken into account. Pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia (PE), can reveal a subclinical predisposition for the development of future disease that may help identify women who could benefit from early CVD and CKD prevention strategies.Materials and methodsReview of PE and its association with future development of CVD and CKD.ResultsMultiple studies have established an association between PE and the development of ischemic heart disease, chronic hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, stroke and CKD. It has not been sufficiently clarified if this relation is a causal one or if it is mediated by common risk factors. Nevertheless, the presence of endothelial dysfunction and thrombotic microangiopathy during pregnancies complicated with PE makes us believe that PE may leave a long-term imprint. Early identification of women who have had a pregnancy complicated by PE becomes a window of opportunity to improve women's health through adequate follow-up and targeted preventive actions. Oxidative stress biomarkers and vascular ultrasound may play a key role in the early detection of this arterial damage.ConclusionsThe implementation of preventive multidisciplinary targeted strategies can help slow down CVD and CKD's natural history in women at risk through lifestyle modifications and adequate blood pressure control. Therefore, we propose a series of recommendations to guide the prediction and prevention of CVD and CKD throughout life of women with a history of PE.     

AHA营养委员会关于"饮食与生活方式的科学声明2006"解读

大量证据显示饮食和生活方式对心血管病(CVD)及其危险因素的发生发展有重要影响,改善生活方式可控制这些危险因素并降低CVD风险。美国心脏协会发表了关于饮食与生活方式的科学声明2006修订版,与以往的声明相比,该文有一些新的观点。解读该声明对有效防冶CVD,结合国情制定符合中国特点的饮食与生活方式的指南有积极意义。     

Using Impedance Cardiography to Detect Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease in Women With Multiple Risk Factors: A Pilot Study

Early detection of cardiovascular disease (CVD) could initiate appropriate treatment and prevent progression. This study used impedance cardiography (ICG) waveform analysis with postural change to detect functional CVD in women older than 40 years with no history of CVD and ≥2 of the following risk factors: cigarette smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity, central adiposity, family history of premature CVD, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. A study group of 32 women underwent ICG in standing and supine positions. An age-matched control group had 20 women with an active lifestyle, no risk factors, and no history of CVD. All women in the control group had normal ICG data. All women in the study group had some abnormal ICG data, with 28 (87.5%) having multiple ICG abnormalities. ICG data indicated that 13 (40.6%) had ventricular dysfunction, 14 (43.8%) had high vascular resistive load, and 30 (93.8%) had elevated vascular pulsatile load. The data suggest that subclinical CVD, detectable by ICG, is prevalent in women older than 40 years with multiple risk factors. Abnormal ICG results could expedite the initiation of customized treatment as part of a preventive approach to CVD.     

Cardiovascular disease in US firefighters: a systematic review

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of on-duty death among firefighters (45% of on-duty fatalities) and a major cause of morbidity. CVD in the fire service also has adverse public safety implications as well as significant cost impacts on government agencies. Over the last decade, our understanding of CVD among firefighters has significantly improved and provides insight into potential preventive strategies. The physiology of cardiovascular arousal and other changes that occur in association with acute firefighting activities have been well-characterized. However, despite the strenuous nature of emergency duty, firefighters' prevalence of low fitness, obesity, and other CVD risk factors are high. Unique statistical approaches have documented that on-duty CVD events do not occur at random in the fire service. They are more frequent at certain times of day, certain periods of the year, and are overwhelmingly more frequent during strenuous duties compared with nonemergency situations. Moreover, as expected on-duty CVD events occur almost exclusively among susceptible firefighters with underlying CVD. These findings suggest that preventive measures with proven benefits be applied aggressively to firefighters. Furthermore, all fire departments should have entry-level medical evaluations, institute periodic medical and fitness evaluations, and require rigorous return to work evaluations after any significant illness. Finally, on the basis of the overwhelming evidence supporting markedly higher relative risks of on-duty death and disability among firefighters with established coronary heart disease, most firefighters with clinically significant coronary heart disease should be restricted from participating in strenuous emergency duties.     

The Importance of Gender to Understand Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. There is robust evidence of heterogeneity in underlying mechanism, manifestation, prognosis, and response to treatment of CVD between male and female patients. Gender, which refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviours, expressions, and identities of individuals, is an important determinant of CV health, and its consideration might help in attaining a broader understanding of the observed sex differences in CVD. Established risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and smoking are well known to contribute to CVD. However, despite the differences in CVD risk between male and female, most studies looking into the magnitude of effect of each risk factor have traditionally focused on male subjects. While biological sex influences disease pathophysiology, the psycho-socio-cultural construct of gender can further interact with this effect. Behavioural, psychosocial, personal, cultural, and societal factors can create, repress, or strengthen underlying biological CV health differences. Although mechanisms of action are largely unclear, it is suggested that gender-related factors can further exacerbate the detrimental effect of established risk factors of CVD. In this narrative review, we explore the current literature investigating the role of gender in CV risk and its impact on established risk factors as a fundamental step toward precision medicine.     

Approaches to Decongestion in Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Type 2 diabetes increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) from two- to four-fold. In our large Finnish population-based study published in 1998 subjects with medication for type 2 diabetes had as high a risk of fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) during the 7- year follow-up as non-diabetic subjects with a prior MI, suggesting that type 2 diabetes is a CVD equivalent. In another large study, including all 3.3 million residents of Denmark, subjects requiring glucose-lowering therapy exhibited a CVD risk similar to that of non-diabetic subjects with a prior MI. Subsequent studies have not systematically replicated aforementioned results. Some studies have supported the concept that type 2 diabetes is a CVD equivalent only in some subgroups, and many studies have reported negative findings. This is likely to be due to many differences across the studies published, for example ethnicity, gender, age and other demographic factors of the populations involved, study design, validation of diabetes status and CVD events, statistical analyses (adjustments for confounding factors), duration of diabetes, and treatment of hyperglycemia among diabetic participants. Varying results reflect the fact that not all diabetic patients are at a similar risk for CVD. Therefore, CVD risk assessment and the tailoring of preventive measures should be done individually, taking into consideration each patient’s long-term risk of developing cardiovascular events.