Circulation
-
Data are sparse regarding the association of stable body mass index (BMI) over the long term with metabolic syndrome components in young adults. ⋯ Adverse progression of metabolic syndrome components with advancing age may not be inevitable. Young adults who maintained stable BMI over time had minimal progression of risk factors and lower incidence of metabolic syndrome regardless of baseline BMI. Greater public health efforts should be aimed at long-term weight stabilization.
-
Exposure to secondhand smoke has been associated with a disproportionately high risk of coronary heart disease, thought to be mediated through inflammation, platelet aggregation, and/or endothelial dysfunction. The epidemiological association between objectively measured exposure to secondhand smoke and biomarkers of heart disease risk has not been investigated, however. ⋯ Passive smokers appear to have disproportionately increased levels of 2 biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk, fibrinogen and homocysteine. This finding provides further evidence to suggest that low-level exposure to secondhand smoke has a clinically important effect on susceptibility to cardiovascular disease.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Calcium/vitamin D supplementation and cardiovascular events.
Individuals with vascular or valvular calcification are at increased risk for coronary events, but the relationship between calcium consumption and cardiovascular events is uncertain. We evaluated the risk of coronary and cerebrovascular events in the Women's Health Initiative randomized trial of calcium plus vitamin D supplementation. ⋯ Calcium/vitamin D supplementation neither increased nor decreased coronary or cerebrovascular risk in generally healthy postmenopausal women over a 7-year use period.