1.
Coronary artery calcium scoring for individualized cardiovascular risk estimation in important patient subpopulations after the 2019 AHA/ACC primary prevention guidelines.
Dzaye, O, Dudum, R, Reiter-Brennan, C, Kianoush, S, Tota-Maharaj, R, Cainzos-Achirica, M, Blaha, MJ
Progress in cardiovascular diseases. 2019;(5):423-430
Abstract
The 2018 and 2019 American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) guidelines for primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) recommend consideration of so-called "risk-enhancing factors" in borderline to intermediate risk individuals. These include high-risk race/ethnicity (e.g. South Asian origin), chronic kidney disease, a family history of premature ASCVD, the metabolic syndrome, chronic inflammatory disorders (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis [RA], psoriasis, or chronic human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]), and conditions specific to women, among others. Studies suggest, however, that risk may be highly heterogeneous within these subgroups. The AHA/ACC guidelines also recommend consideration of coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring for further risk assessment in borderline to intermediate risk individuals in whom management is uncertain. Although the combination of risk enhancing factors and CAC burden (together with Pooled Cohort estimates) may lead to more accurate ASCVD risk assessment, few publications have closely examined the interplay between risk enhancing factors and CAC scoring for personalized risk estimation. Our aim is to review the relevant literature in this area. Although further research is clearly needed, CAC assessment seems a highly valuable option to inform individualized ASCVD risk management in these important, often highly heterogeneous patient subgroups.
2.
Prospects for the Primary Prevention of Myocardial Infarction and Stroke.
Caldwell, M, Martinez, L, Foster, JG, Sherling, D, Hennekens, CH
Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology and therapeutics. 2019;(3):207-214
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD), principally myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, is the leading clinical and public health problem in the United States and is rapidly becoming so worldwide. Their primary prevention is promising, in theory, but difficult to achieve in practice. The principal modalities that have demonstrated efficacy include therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLCs) and adjunctive drug therapies under the guidance of the health-care provider and tailored to the individual patient. The prevention and treatment of the pandemic of overweight and obesity and lack of regular physical activity, both of which are alarmingly common in the United States, prevention and treatment of hypertension, avoidance and cessation of cigarette smoking, adoption and maintenance of a healthy diet, and avoidance of heavy alcohol consumption all have proven benefits in decreasing the risks of a first MI and stroke as well as other clinical manifestations of CVD. Although adoption of TLCs would avoid the need for adjunctive drug therapies in many primary prevention subjects, this strategy is difficult to achieve or maintain for most and may be insufficient for many, especially those at high risk with metabolic syndrome. The criteria for metabolic syndrome, affecting over 40% of the adult population older than 40 in the United States, include overweight or obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and insulin resistance, a precursor of diabetes. The adjunctive therapies of proven benefit in the primary prevention of MI and stroke include statins, blood pressure medications, aspirin, and drugs to treat insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. Fortunately, even for patients who prefer prescription of pills to proscription of harmful lifestyles, these drug therapies still have net benefits. The adoption and maintenance of TLCs and adjunctive drug therapies into clinical practice will reduce both the incidence of and mortality from a first MI and stroke as well as other major clinical manifestations of CVD.