Vitamin D and the heart: heartwire collection

Prevention

No link between vitamin-D levels and cardiovascular mortality in sunny California

11 COMMENTS - Dec 16, 2010 17:30 EST

UPDATED WITH COMMENTARY // Even after patients were stratified by kidney function, there was no association between serum vitamin-D levels and death from cardiovascular causes, report investigators.

Medscape Medical News

No evidence linking vitamin D to most chronic diseases

24 COMMENTS - Dec 1, 2010 09:00 EST

A new IOM report specifies new dietary reference intake values and indicates that the strongest evidence for benefit of vitamin D is in bone health, but not for other diseases.

Medscape Medical News

Vitamin-D deficiency linked to fatal stroke in whites but not blacks

4 COMMENTS - Nov 15, 2010 13:45 EST

Using NHANES III data, researchers showed that although blacks are more likely to be vitamin-D deficient, that deficiency did not appear to affect the risk for fatal stroke, unlike in whites.

Brain/Kidney/Peripheral

Vitamin-D analog could lower renal risk in diabetic nephropathy

Nov 3, 2010 18:30 EDT

The highest dose of a vitamin-D-receptor activator, paricalcitol, significantly reduced albuminuria in patients with diabetic nephropathy in the first randomized, placebo-controlled study to look at this type of agent in this setting. But large trials with hard end points will be needed to see whether the changes in this surrogate end point translate into morbidity and mortality benefits in this patient population and others, say the researchers.

Lipid/Metabolic

FDA stops enrollment in TIDE trial

Jul 21, 2010 15:30 EDT

Enrollment in the controversial study assessing the cardiovascular effects of long-term treatment with rosiglitazone or pioglitazone has been stopped at the FDA's request.

Prevention

Four genetic variants associated with low levels of vitamin D

Jun 9, 2010 18:30 EDT

A new genomewide association study has identified four genetic variants at different loci that appear to be associated with vitamin-D insufficiency in white people.

Medscape Medical News

Cinacalcet plus vitamin D may decrease vascular calcification in CKD

Apr 26, 2010 17:15 EDT

Adding the calcimimetic agent cinacalcet to low-dose vitamin-D therapy might lead to less CAC than a flexible-dose regimen of vitamin D only in patients with chronic kidney disease and secondary hyperparathyroidism, according to a new study.

Prevention

Death, CVD risk declines in people who "normalize" vitamin-D levels

6 COMMENTS - Mar 18, 2010 17:00 EDT

In a group of nearly 1000 subjects told they had low vitamin D at baseline, those who managed to up their levels over follow-up were significantly less likely to die or to suffer a combination of cardiovascular end points.

Prevention

D is for discord: Not all studies support vitamin-D-CVD link

6 COMMENTS - Mar 2, 2010 10:30 EST

Two new studies looking at the link between use of vitamin D or blood levels of the supplement tilt in favor of the vitamin playing a role in preventing cardiovascular disease or helping improve CV risk factors. But more research is needed.

Prevention

Could vitamin-D deficiency account for higher CV mortality in blacks?

3 COMMENTS - Jan 6, 2010 16:30 EST

Another study has linked low levels of vitamin D to higher cardiovascular mortality. And it also suggests that deficiency of this vitamin may be an important factor in the black-white disparity in heart disease.

Lipid/Metabolic

Vitamin D: A potential role in cardiovascular disease prevention

61 COMMENTS - Nov 24, 2009 14:30 EST

A new observational study shows an association between vitamin-D deficiency and cardiovascular disease and death. But definitive data are needed from randomized trials to confirm a beneficial role of this vitamin in CVD prevention, say researchers.

Prevention

Massive vitamin-D/omega-3 trial for CVD, cancer prevention

5 COMMENTS - Jun 29, 2009 17:00 EDT

Study participants will be randomized to one of four groups: daily vitamin D (2000 IU) and fish oil (1 g); daily vitamin D and fish-oil placebo; daily vitamin-D placebo and fish oil; or daily vitamin-D placebo and fish-oil placebo and followed for five years.

Prevention

Low vitamin-D levels in adolescents predict CVD risk factors

4 COMMENTS - Mar 18, 2009 15:00 EDT

Adolescents with low serum vitamin-D levels are much more likely to have hypertension, hyperglycemia, and metabolic syndrome, a large study showed; still, it is too early to recommend supplementation. (AHA 49th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.)

Prevention

More evidence that vitamin-D deficiency ups mortality

8 COMMENTS - Aug 11, 2008 16:00 EDT

Another study has found that that low levels of vitamin D seem to be linked to an increased risk of death, this time in a nationally representative cohort. (Melamed ML et al. Arch Intern Med 2008; 168:1629-1637.)

Clinical cardiology

Vitamin-D deficiency now associated with increased mortality

Jun 23, 2008 16:00 EDT

Both cardiovascular and all-cause mortality were increased in individuals with low levels of vitamin D in a new prospective cohort study. (Dobnig H et al. Arch Intern Med 2008; 168:1340-1349.)

Prevention

Further evidence supports vitamin-D-deficiency link to CHD

Jun 9, 2008 16:00 EDT

New findings suggest that the current dietary requirements of vitamin D need to be increased. (Giovannucci E et al. Arch Intern Med 2008; 168:1174-1180.)

Lipid/Metabolic

Low 25-hydroxyvitamin-D levels associated with higher prevalence of peripheral artery disease

Apr 18, 2008 15:45 EDT

The association was observed in a large, nationally representative sample and was present even after adjustment for multiple cardiovascular risk factors. (Melamed ML et al. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol; published online before print April 16, 2008.)

Lipid/Metabolic

Vitamin-D deficiency: A risk factor for heart disease?

Jan 7, 2008 16:00 EST

Vitamin-D deficiency appears to be a risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease, a new study suggests. (Wang TJ et al. Circulation; published online before print January 7, 2008.)

Lipid/Metabolic

Low vitamin D linked to increased CV risk factors

32 COMMENTS - Jun 15, 2007 12:45 EDT

Adults with low serum levels of vitamin D are more likely to have hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and high triglycerides. Investigators say it may be time to revisit public-health recommendations for vitamin-D intake. (Martins D et al. Arch Intern Med 2007; 167; 1159-1165.)

News

Vitamin D supplements linked to reduced CHD mortality

36 COMMENTS - Apr 24, 2002 15:50 EDT

A new study suggests that women taking vitamin D supplements had a 31% reduction in risk of death from coronary heart disease compared to women who did not take supplements. Vitamin D, both a hormone and a vitamin, regulates calcium uptake in bones, but its absence may be somehow related to the appearance of calcium in arteries, the researchers speculate. (American Heart Association's Asia Pacific Scientific Forum.)