CHD risk factors

Six Minute Walk Test May Help Predict Cardio Risk

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The 6-minute walk test may improve cardiovascular risk prediction in patients with stable coronary heart disease, researchers found.

Even after adjustment for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and measures of cardiac disease severity, each standard deviation decrease in walk distance was associated with a 30% greater risk of MI, heart failure, or death (HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.53), according to Alexis Beatty, MD, of the University of California San Francisco, and colleagues.

via Medical News: Walk Test May Help Predict Cardio Risk – in Cardiovascular, Atherosclerosis from MedPage Today.

New underwriting requirement for applicants with known heart disease.  Take a walk.

Kidney Disease = Possible Risk for MI

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In a large cohort study, patients with only CKD had a significantly higher rate of myocardial infarction (MI) than those who only had diabetes (5.4 versus 6.9 per 1,000 person-years, P

Those who’d already had an MI had the highest overall rate of MI (18.5 per 1,000 person-years), they reported online in The Lancet.

via Medical News: Kidney Disease May Point to Risk for MI – in Cardiovascular, Myocardial Infarction from MedPage Today.

Earlier LDL Focus Could Be Beneficial/Stains Alter Predictive Value of LDL

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Medical News:%20ACC: Earlier LDL Focus Could Be Beneficial – in Meeting Coverage, ACC from MedPage Today.

Taking steps to maintain a low level of LDL cholesterol from very early in life will likely have substantial benefits in preventing coronary heart disease.

Medical News:%20Statins Alter Predictive Value of LDL – in Cardiovascular, Dyslipidemia from MedPage Today.

  • Among patients taking statins, on-treatment levels of non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) cholesterol may be best for predicting future cardiovascular events, according to a meta-analysis.
  • The study suggests that non-HDL cholesterol may be a more appropriate target for statin therapy than LDL cholesterol.

 

Apnea Treatment Gets Heart Back in Shape

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Several studies have suggested that obstructive sleep apnea contributes to the development of left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction and, possibly, heart failure. Note that this study indicates that moderate-to-severe sleep apnea can cause structural and functional changes in left ventricular function comparable to that seen in hypertension and, further, these abnormalities significantly improve following CPAP therapy.

via Medical News:Apnea Treatment Gets Heart Back in Shape – in Cardiovascular, CHF from MedPage Today.

Biomarkers May Help Heart Failure Risk Prediction

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After accounting for the clinical risk score, several echocardiographic findings were independently associated with incident heart failure HRs 1.11 to 2.91, P≤0.001 for all:

  • Reduced left ventricular ejection fraction
  • Abnormal mitral inflow E/A peak velocity ratio a measure of diastolic function
  • Enlarged left atrium Increased left ventricular mass

These variables were used to create an echocardiographic score.Elevated levels of NT-proBNP also were independently associated with heart failure risk HR 1.61 as a continuous variable and HR 2.7 for values greater than 190 pg/mL, P

via Medical News:Biomarkers May Help Heart Failure Risk Prediction – in Cardiovascular, CHF from MedPage Today.

Norwegian Butter Crisis – Update 12.16.11

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If Norway can’t make enough butter for everyone to slather on their eller mørkt rugbrød, shouldn’t they just import butter from abroad? The supermarket downstairs from my apartment has plenty of butter. Surely we could ship some to Oslo. The problem is that the Norwegian dairy cooperative Tine has a de facto monopoly on the domestic market and is deliberately sheltered from foreign competition (PDF) as a matter of public policy.

via Pension Pulse: The Norwegian Butter Crisis?.

As I have in the past, I will credit the source for my links.  Please note this link itself links to the original article in Slate from which the quote above originates.

Always look for the story behind the story.

Declining GFR Linked to Mortality Risk After MI

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Patients with chronic kidney disease had a significantly increased risk of death after myocardial infarction, and the risk increased as glomerular filtration rate (GFR) declined, a review of 103,000 myocardial infarction patients showed.

The excess mortality risk ranged from 17% to as much as 500% as the severity of chronic kidney disease (CKD) increased. CKD predicted heightened mortality regardless of the presence or absence of ST-segment elevation.

via Medical News: ASN: Declining GFR Linked to Mortality Risk After MI – in Meeting Coverage, ASN from MedPage Today.

Watch that GFR.