The annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology was held from April 6 to 8 in Atlanta and attracted more than 12,000 participants, including clinicians, academicians, allied health professionals, and others interested in cardiology. The conference highlighted recent advances in the treatment, management, and prevention of cardiovascular diseases, with presentations focusing on novel drugs and surgical approaches to improve the quality of care for patients with cardiovascular diseases.
In one study, Zhuo Chen, Ph.D., of the Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Health System in Cleveland, and colleagues identified a significant association between higher visibility of trees and sky and the presence of sidewalks near residences and a lower risk for major adverse cardiovascular events, even when accounting for socioeconomic, environmental, and clinical risk factors.
The authors evaluated the relationship between the built environment near individuals' residences, specifically vertical greenspaces and sidewalks, and cardiovascular risk. Utilizing advanced deep learning techniques to analyze Google Street View images, exposure to these environmental features for individuals participating in a low-cost/free coronary calcium scan program was quantified. The researchers found a significant, independent association between increased visibility of vertical greenspaces and the presence of sidewalks with reduced cardiovascular risk.
"This suggests that urban planning strategies emphasizing the enhancement of residential greenspaces and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure could play a vital role in cardiovascular health promotion and disease prevention," Chen said. "Our research offers novel insights into the importance of the built environment as a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases."
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In another study, Shady Abohashem, M.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues found that individuals with a genetic predisposition to stress have a significantly increased risk for acute coronary syndrome.
The authors evaluated data from 18,428 individuals' health information and blood samples included in the Mass General Brigham Biobank. The researchers found that individuals with a genetic predisposition to stress, as measured by neuroticism polygenic risk scores, had a significantly increased risk for acute coronary syndrome, especially during times of heightened social or political stress. This risk was further magnified (approximately threefold) for those who also experience anxiety or depression.
"Our findings suggest that understanding one's genetic susceptibility to stress could be crucial in identifying and implementing targeted strategies for preventing heart attacks during stressful periods," Abohashem said. "This research underscores the potential of incorporating genetic and psychological factors into the broader framework of cardiovascular risk assessment and management, aiming to tailor prevention and intervention efforts more effectively."
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Elsie Kodjoe, M.D., of the Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital in Georgia, and colleagues found that individuals with cardiovascular disease consume more than twice the recommended amount of sodium intake on a daily basis.
The authors evaluated a cohort of 3,100 individuals with cardiovascular disease to assess their sodium intake on a daily basis and determine whether it was above the recommended daily amount of 1,500 mg. Patients completed questionnaires that asked about food consumption within a 24-hour period. The researchers found that 89 percent of individuals consumed more than the recommended daily sodium amount. On average, the participants consumed more than twice the daily maximum recommendation (3,096 mg); this was slightly lower than the national average reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (3,400 mg/day).
"The relatively small difference in sodium intake suggests that people with cardiovascular disease are not limiting their intake very much compared with the general population and are also consuming more than double what is recommended," Kodjoe said in a statement. "To make it easier for patients to adhere to dietary guidelines, we need to find more practical ways for the general public to estimate dietary sodium levels or perhaps consider a reduction in the sodium content of the food we consume right from the source."
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Yakubu Bene-Alhasan, M.D., of MedStar Health in Baltimore, and colleagues found that individuals who have ever used electronic cigarettes have an elevated risk for developing heart failure compared to never-users.
The authors evaluated data from surveys and electronic health records for 175,667 participants who were part of the All of Us study, a large national study of U.S. adults that aimed to gain insight into the link between electronic cigarette use and new diagnoses of heart failure. The researchers found that individuals who reported ever using electronic cigarettes had a 19 percent increased risk for developing heart failure compared with those who had never used them. This increased risk was only significant for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
"Our findings suggest that electronic cigarettes are not as safe as previously thought. Their use should be discouraged, especially among the youth, while more studies are conducted in other populations," Bene-Alhasan said. "As clinicians, we need to do a more comprehensive review of substance use, and enquire about electronic cigarette use. Patients should be counseled about this new association with heart failure as well as established associations with other health conditions."
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ACC: Similar Seizure Incidence Seen for Topical, IV Tranexamic Acid in Cardiac Surgery Patients
THURSDAY, April 11, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Among patients having cardiac surgery, topical administration of tranexamic acid does not reduce the incidence of seizure when compared with intravenous tranexamic acid, according to a study published online April 8 in Circulation to coincide with the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from April 6 to 8 in Atlanta.
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ACC: Gamification Plus Financial Incentives Boost Physical Activity
THURSDAY, April 11, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Behaviorally designed gamification and financial incentives boost physical activity in patients at high risk for cardiovascular events, according to a study published online April 7 in Circulation to coincide with the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from April 6 to 8 in Atlanta.
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ACC: Empagliflozin Does Not Cut Risk for Heart Failure After Acute MI
WEDNESDAY, April 10, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Empagliflozin does not reduce the risk for first hospitalization for heart failure or death among patients at increased risk for heart failure after acute myocardial infarction, according to a study published online April 6 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from April 6 to 8 in Atlanta.
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ACC: Semaglutide Beneficial in Obesity-Related Heart Failure, Type 2 Diabetes
TUESDAY, April 9, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Semaglutide leads to larger reductions in heart failure-related symptoms and physical limitations among patients with obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online April 6 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from April 6 to 8 in Atlanta.
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ACC: Ventura Shunt Does Not Improve Primary End Point in Heart Failure
TUESDAY, April 9, 2024 (HealthDay News) – For patients with heart failure, transcatheter placement of a Ventura interarterial shunt does not improve the primary end point, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from April 6 to 8 in Atlanta.
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ACC: Ticagrelor Monotherapy Cuts Bleeding Risk in Acute Coronary Syndrome
MONDAY, April 8, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment with ticagrelor alone results in a lower rate of clinically relevant bleeding compared with ticagrelor and aspirin among patients with an acute coronary syndrome who had percutaneous coronary intervention and remained event-free for one month on dual antiplatelet therapy, according to a study published online April 7 in The Lancet to coincide with the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from April 6 to 8 in Atlanta.
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ACC: Empagliflozin Cuts Heart Failure Hospitalization Risk After AMI
MONDAY, April 8, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with acute myocardial infarction at risk for heart failure, empagliflozin reduces the risk for heart failure hospitalization, according to a study published online April 6 in Circulation to coincide with the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from April 6 to 8 in Atlanta.
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ACC: AI-Based Video Biomarker Detects Aortic Stenosis Progression
MONDAY, April 8, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- A video-based artificial intelligence biomarker (Digital Aortic Stenosis Severity index) can detect severe aortic stenosis development and progression among patients undergoing echocardiography or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, according to a study published online April 6 in JAMA Cardiology to coincide with the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from April 6 to 8 in Atlanta.
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ACC: Binge Drinking Further Increases CVD Risk With High Alcohol Consumption
TUESDAY, April 2, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- High levels of alcohol consumption are associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk among men and women aged 65 years and younger, with even higher risk seen among those who also "binge" drink, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from April 6 to 8 in Atlanta.
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ACC: Coronary Artery Calcium Progression May Accelerate After Menopause
TUESDAY, April 2 (HealthDay News) -- Postmenopausal changes may accelerate coronary artery calcium progression in women, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from April 6 to 8 in Atlanta.
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ACC: Small but Significant Risk for Cardiomyopathy Seen With ADHD Meds
THURSDAY, March 28, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Young adults prescribed stimulant medications for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder have an increased risk for cardiomyopathy, with the risk increasing with duration of treatment, according to a study scheduled for presentation at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from April 6 to 8 in Atlanta.
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ACC: Short Sleep Duration Linked to Risk of Developing Hypertension
WEDNESDAY, March 27, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Short sleep duration is associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension, according to a study scheduled for presentation at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from April 6 to 8 in Atlanta.
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