Tag

Cardiovascular Risk

All articles tagged with #cardiovascular risk

Can Exercise Fully Offset the Dangers of Sitting?
science23 hours ago

Can Exercise Fully Offset the Dangers of Sitting?

Scientists are debating if exercise can fully offset the health risks of sitting. A large meta‑analysis led by Ulf Ekelund argues that the more you exercise, the less harm sitting does, with heavy exercisers showing only minimal risk even when sitting eight hours or more. Opponents cite wearable data and methodological limits, suggesting that some risk remains despite high activity. The issue isn’t settled, but the practical takeaway is to aim for about an hour of moderate activity daily and to break up long sitting periods, rather than assuming exercise can entirely cancel sitting’s damage.

Beyond cholesterol: seven hidden heart-risk factors doctors check
health2 days ago

Beyond cholesterol: seven hidden heart-risk factors doctors check

Heart attack risk isn’t determined by cholesterol alone. Doctors emphasize the broader metabolic picture—blood pressure, blood sugar, abdominal obesity, physical activity, sleep, and family history—to assess risk. Some important markers not in routine lipid tests, like lipoprotein(a) and ApoB, can provide a clearer view of atherogenic risk, and coronary artery calcium scoring via CT can reveal existing plaque in selected individuals. Even with normal cholesterol, symptoms such as chest discomfort or breathlessness should be evaluated. The goal is to identify the right risk factors for each person and intervene early, recognizing that heart health is a mix of factors rather than a single number.

The One Health Factor That Slashes Heart Disease Risk, Say Doctors
health5 days ago

The One Health Factor That Slashes Heart Disease Risk, Say Doctors

TODAY reports that controlling blood pressure is the single most important modifiable risk factor for heart disease. With about 81 million U.S. adults affected by hypertension and many untreated, BP management—via lifestyle changes (DASH diet, regular exercise, stress management, salt reduction) and medications when needed—could prevent roughly 162,000 cardiovascular deaths over the next decade, with risk assessed using tools like the American Heart Association PREVENT calculator.

Abdominal Fat Outshines BMI as Heart-Risk Predictor, Study Finds
health9 days ago

Abdominal Fat Outshines BMI as Heart-Risk Predictor, Study Finds

A large study of nearly 260,000 adults followed for about 20 years found that waist measurements and waist-to-hip ratio better identify cardiovascular risk than BMI, with abdominal/visceral fat linked to higher rates of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and death—even among those with normal or overweight BMI. The findings suggest BMI alone misses important risk factors related to fat distribution, though the study is limited by a single measurement and lack of data on activity, diet, or genetics. The takeaway is to consider where fat is stored, not just how much, when assessing heart health.

Calcium-free hearts can still be at risk: LDL history matters
health23 days ago

Calcium-free hearts can still be at risk: LDL history matters

A zero coronary calcium score often signals low short-term risk, but in a CARDIA analysis of young-to-middle-aged adults, higher cumulative LDL-C exposure over the prior 25 years predicted more cardiovascular events even when CAC was zero. At age ~50, those in the highest LDL-C exposure quartile had about a 3.36-fold higher adjusted risk than the lowest, though absolute event rates remained modest (roughly 3.9% vs 1.3% over about a decade). This means zero CAC is reassuring but must be interpreted in the context of age, sex, family history, and lifelong LDL exposure.

Decades of anabolic steroid use threaten heart health and longevity
health23 days ago

Decades of anabolic steroid use threaten heart health and longevity

Earth.com reports that long-term anabolic steroid use is linked to scarred arteries, weaker heart function, and higher rates of heart attack, heart failure, and early death, with risk evident in both men and women and starting at a young age. Studies show the burden increases with duration and exposure, prompting calls for education and monitoring over prohibition as the market persists and evolves, driven in part by social media.

New Cholesterol Rules Tighten Targets and Start Early Prevention
health24 days ago

New Cholesterol Rules Tighten Targets and Start Early Prevention

Updated guidelines emphasize that the duration of LDL exposure and overall cardiovascular risk drive prevention, prompting earlier statin use and personalized LDL targets (below 55 mg/dL for very high risk, 70 mg/dL for high risk, up to 100 mg/dL for intermediate). The PREVENT calculator informs treatment intensity, and Lp(a) testing is now recommended once in adulthood. Start cholesterol screening in ages 9–11 and repeat every five years from 19. Statins are generally safe; muscle-related side effects are rare, and if one statin isn’t tolerated, another can often be tried.

New cholesterol rules could broaden statin use for millions
health29 days ago

New cholesterol rules could broaden statin use for millions

The 2026 cholesterol guidelines from the AHA/ACC expand statin eligibility to about 87.5 million U.S. adults aged 30–79 (roughly 57% of those studied), by extending risk assessment to a 30-year horizon and lowering 10-year risk thresholds. Eligibility means statins should be considered but not automatically prescribed; decisions should be personalized with a clinician, and lifestyle measures remain essential for preventing cardiovascular disease.

PMOS/PCOS Linked to Fourfold Heart Disease Risk in Women, Study Finds
health1 month ago

PMOS/PCOS Linked to Fourfold Heart Disease Risk in Women, Study Finds

A large study of over 413,000 women with PCOS/PMOS found they have about four times the risk of cardiovascular disease compared with women without the condition, even after adjusting for diabetes and high blood pressure. PCOS/PMOS involves insulin resistance and metabolic issues that drive heart risk, prompting new UK guidance for regular cardiovascular screening in affected women. Early diagnosis and lifestyle measures—weight management, a healthy diet, regular exercise, and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol—can help reduce long-term risk, and treatments like metformin may be used to improve insulin sensitivity.

Lilly’s triple-hormone obesity drug achieves major weight-loss results but unclear on heart risk
healthcare1 month ago

Lilly’s triple-hormone obesity drug achieves major weight-loss results but unclear on heart risk

Eli Lilly’s retatrutide (GIP/GLP-1/glucagon triple agonist) met primary endpoints in two Phase 3 TRIUMPH trials, delivering about 21–23% weight loss at 80 weeks with the 12 mg dose vs ~3.2% for placebo (TRIUMPH-2: 20.8%; TRIUMPH-3: 22.6%). However, cardiovascular risk reduction was not clearly demonstrated, and GI side effects were common (diarrhea, nausea) with higher discontinuation rates. Lilly plans FDA submission in Q1 2027 and frames retatrutide as potentially applicable to obesity, knee osteoarthritis pain, and sleep apnea, though analysts warn the market could be niche and tolerability may limit use.

Air travel’s surprising effects on the body—and how to cope
travel1 month ago

Air travel’s surprising effects on the body—and how to cope

Air travel can stress the body through cabin pressure and low humidity, which loads the heart and lungs and can cause dehydration that thickens the blood and raises clot risk. Fainting from postural changes and gas expansion in the gut (jet belly) can occur, while rare in-flight cardiac emergencies have poorer outcomes due to limited onboard care. To mitigate risks: stay hydrated, take medications on schedule, move around every couple of hours, limit alcohol, and be cautious after recent dental work or diving; flight crews decide if and when to land in an emergency.

Microplastics in Carotid Plaques Linked to 4.5× Higher Risk of Heart Events
health1 month ago

Microplastics in Carotid Plaques Linked to 4.5× Higher Risk of Heart Events

A 2024 NEJM study found microplastics and nanoplastics embedded in the carotid plaque of 58% of patients; those with plastic in their plaque were about 4.5 times more likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or death within 34 months than those with plastic-free plaque, with inflammation and plaque destabilization proposed as mechanisms. Causality isn’t proven and replication is underway in New Mexico and elsewhere to determine if microplastics are a modifiable cardiovascular risk factor.

ApoB Test Could Refine Heart-Risk Assessment Beyond LDL
health1 month ago

ApoB Test Could Refine Heart-Risk Assessment Beyond LDL

A recent JAMA study suggests that the apolipoprotein B (apoB) test, which counts harmful cholesterol particles, may identify people at risk for heart attack or stroke more accurately than standard LDL measurements; using apoB to guide when to intensify statin therapy could prevent more cardiovascular events, but it should be used as an additive tool alongside the regular lipid panel, especially for those with diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, or high triglycerides.

Stress in Minutes: Acute Anxiety Reconfigures Blood Clots
science2 months ago

Stress in Minutes: Acute Anxiety Reconfigures Blood Clots

Eight healthy young men underwent a randomized crossover test. After an acute stress task, free-radical levels rose and blood clots became larger, denser, and more fibrin-rich, driven by activation of the intrinsic coagulation pathway, while blood viscosity did not change. The study links brief psychological stress to rapid biochemical and structural blood changes that may elevate clotting potential, though larger and more diverse studies are needed to understand cardiovascular implications.

Updated COVID Vaccines Continue to Shield Heart Health, Large VA Study Finds
health2 months ago

Updated COVID Vaccines Continue to Shield Heart Health, Large VA Study Finds

A large VA-based study in JAMA Internal Medicine finds the 2024–2025 updated COVID-19 vaccine continues to protect against COVID-19–associated major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), with about 38% effectiveness and a reduction from roughly 5 to 3 events per 10,000 people over about 8 months, especially among those 75+ and with underlying conditions; an accompanying report shows vaccines also cut hospitalization and severe illness by about 35% and 41%; however, generalizability is limited due to the veteran, older, mostly male population, and antivaccine rhetoric remains a challenge. The findings support continued booster use.