scholarly journals Role of Testosterone in the Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (02) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn M Webb ◽  
Peter Collins ◽  
◽  

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most prevalent non-communicable cause of death worldwide. Testosterone is a sex hormone that is predominant in males but also occurs in lower concentrations in females. It has effects directly on the blood vessels of the cardiovascular system and on the heart, as well as effects on risk factors for CVD. Serum testosterone concentrations are known to decrease with age and reduced testosterone levels are linked to premature coronary artery disease, unfavourable effects on CVD risk factors and increased risk of cardiovascular mortality independent of age. A significant number of men with heart failure demonstrate reduced serum testosterone concentrations and there is early evidence suggesting that low testosterone levels affect cardiac repolarisation. Any association between endogenous testosterone concentrations and CVD in women has yet to be established. Testosterone replacement is used to treat men with hypogonadism but also has cardiovascular effects. This review will present the current evidence, expert opinion and controversies around the role of testosterone in the pathophysiology of CVD and surrounding the use of testosterone treatment and its effects on the cardiovascular system and CVD.

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Riis Hansen

Inflammation plays a significant role in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Patients with chronic inflammatory diseases are at increased risk of CVD, but it is debated whether this association is causal or dependent on shared risk factors, other exposures, genes, and/or inflammatory pathways. The current review summarizes epidemiological, clinical, and experimental data supporting the role of shared inflammatory mechanisms between atherosclerotic CVD and rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and periodontitis, respectively, and provides insights to future prospects in this area of research. Awareness of the role of inflammation in CVD in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases and the potential for anti-inflammatory therapy, e.g., with tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors, to also reduce atherosclerotic CVD has evolved into guideline- based recommendations. These include regular CVD risk assessment, aggressive treatment of traditional CVD risk factors, and recognition of reduced CVD as an added benefit of strict inflammatory disease control. At present, chronic inflammatory diseases would appear to qualify as partners in crime and not merely innocent bystanders to CVD. However, definite incremental contributions of inflammation versus effects of the complex interplay with other CVD risk factors may never be fully elucidated and for the foreseeable future, inflammation is posed to maintain its current position as both a marker and a maker of CVD, with clinical utility both for identification of patient at risk of CVD and as target for therapy to reduce CVD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 431-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
George E. Fragoulis ◽  
Ismini Panayotidis ◽  
Elena Nikiphorou

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune inflammatory arthritis. Inflammation, however, can spread beyond the joints to involve other organs. During the past few years, it has been well recognized that RA associates with increased risk for cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD) compared with the general population. This seems to be due not only to the increased occurrence in RA of classical CVD risk factors and comorbidities like smoking, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and others but also to the inflammatory burden that RA itself carries. This is not unexpected given the strong links between inflammation and atherosclerosis and CVD. It has been shown that inflammatory cytokines which are present in abundance in RA play a significant role in every step of plaque formation and rupture. Most of the therapeutic regimes used in RA treatment seem to offer significant benefits to that end. However, more studies are needed to clarify the effect of these drugs on various parameters, including the lipid profile. Of note, although pharmacological intervention significantly helps reduce the inflammatory burden and therefore the CVD risk, control of the so-called classical risk factors is equally important. Herein, we review the current evidence for the underlying pathogenic mechanisms linking inflammation with CVD in the context of RA and reflect on the possible impact of treatments used in RA.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 117954412110287
Author(s):  
Mir Sohail Fazeli ◽  
Vadim Khaychuk ◽  
Keith Wittstock ◽  
Boris Breznen ◽  
Grace Crocket ◽  
...  

Objective: To scope the current published evidence on cardiovascular risk factors in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) focusing on the role of autoantibodies and the effect of antirheumatic agents. Methods: Two reviews were conducted in parallel: A targeted literature review (TLR) describing the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in RA patients; and a systematic literature review (SLR) identifying and characterizing the association between autoantibody status and CVD risk in RA. A narrative synthesis of the evidence was carried out. Results: A total of 69 publications (49 in the TLR and 20 in the SLR) were included in the qualitative evidence synthesis. The most prevalent topic related to CVD risks in RA was inflammation as a shared mechanism behind both RA morbidity and atherosclerotic processes. Published evidence indicated that most of RA patients already had significant CV pathologies at the time of diagnosis, suggesting subclinical CVD may be developing before patients become symptomatic. Four types of autoantibodies (rheumatoid factor, anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies, anti-phospholipid autoantibodies, anti-lipoprotein autoantibodies) showed increased risk of specific cardiovascular events, such as higher risk of cardiovascular death in rheumatoid factor positive patients and higher risk of thrombosis in anti-phospholipid autoantibody positive patients. Conclusion: Autoantibodies appear to increase CVD risk; however, the magnitude of the increase and the types of CVD outcomes affected are still unclear. Prospective studies with larger populations are required to further understand and quantify the association, including the causal pathway, between specific risk factors and CVD outcomes in RA patients.


2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 582-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Ruiz-Canela ◽  
Estefania Toledo ◽  
Clary B Clish ◽  
Adela Hruby ◽  
Liming Liang ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND The role of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains poorly understood. We hypothesized that baseline BCAA concentrations predict future risk of CVD and that a Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) intervention may counteract this effect. METHODS We developed a case-cohort study within the Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea (PREDIMED), with 226 incident CVD cases and 744 noncases. We used LC-MS/MS to measure plasma BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, and valine), both at baseline and after 1 year of follow-up. The primary outcome was a composite of incident stroke, myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular death. RESULTS After adjustment for potential confounders, baseline leucine and isoleucine concentrations were associated with higher CVD risk: the hazard ratios (HRs) for the highest vs lowest quartile were 1.70 (95% CI, 1.05–2.76) and 2.09 (1.27–3.44), respectively. Stronger associations were found for stroke. For both CVD and stroke, we found higher HRs across successive quartiles of BCAAs in the control group than in the MedDiet groups. With stroke as the outcome, a significant interaction (P = 0.009) between baseline BCAA score and intervention with MedDiet was observed. No significant effect of the intervention on 1-year changes in BCAAs or any association between 1-year changes in BCAAs and CVD were observed. CONCLUSIONS Higher concentrations of baseline BCAAs were associated with increased risk of CVD, especially stroke, in a high cardiovascular risk population. A Mediterranean-style diet had a negligible effect on 1-year changes in BCAAs, but it may counteract the harmful effects of BCAAs on stroke.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juhyun Song ◽  
Won Taek Lee ◽  
Kyung Ah Park ◽  
Jong Eun Lee

Vascular dementia is caused by various factors, including increased age, diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and stroke. Adiponectin is an adipokine secreted by adipose tissue. Adiponectin is widely known as a regulating factor related to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Adiponectin plasma levels decrease with age. Decreased adiponectin increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Adiponectin improves hypertension and atherosclerosis by acting as a vasodilator and antiatherogenic factor. Moreover, adiponectin is involved in cognitive dysfunction via modulation of insulin signal transduction in the brain. Case-control studies demonstrate the association between low adiponectin and increased risk of stroke, hypertension, and diabetes. This review summarizes the recent findings on the association between risk factors for vascular dementia and adiponectin. To emphasize this relationship, we will discuss the importance of research regarding the role of adiponectin in vascular dementia.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel B. Rosoff ◽  
George Davey Smith ◽  
Nehal Mehta ◽  
Toni-Kim Clarke ◽  
Falk W. Lohoff

ABSTRACTAlcohol and tobacco use, two major modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), are often consumed together. Using large publicly available genome-wide association studies (results from > 940,000 participants), we conducted two-sample multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) to simultaneously assess the independent effects of alcohol and tobacco use on CVD risk factors and events. We found genetic instruments associated with increased alcohol use, controlling for tobacco use, associated with increased high-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), decreased triglycerides, but not with coronary heart disease (CHD), myocardial infarction (MI), nor stroke; and instruments for increased tobacco use, controlling for alcohol use, associated with decreased HDL-C, increased triglycerides, and increased risk of CHD and MI. Exploratory analysis found associations with HDL-C, LDL-C, and intermediate-density-lipoprotein metabolites. Consistency of results across complementary methods accommodating different MR assumptions strengthened causal inference, providing strong genetic evidence for the causal effects of modifiable lifestyle risk factors on CVD risk.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Romona D. Govender ◽  
Saif Al-Shamsi ◽  
Elpidoforos S. Soteriades ◽  
Dybesh Regmi

Abstract Background Individuals with established cardiovascular disease (CVD) and risk factors such as age, smoking, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus are at an increased risk of recurrent cardiovascular events and death. The incidence rate of recurrent CVD events varies between countries and populations. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has one of the highest age-standardized death rates for CVD worldwide. The aim of our study was to estimate the incidence rates and determine the predictors of recurrent CVD events among UAE nationals. Methods We investigated an outpatient-based cohort of patients with a history of CVD visiting Tawam Hospital between April 1, 2008 and December 31, 2008. They were followed-up until July 31, 2018. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to determine the association between major CVD risk factors and the risk of CVD recurrence. Results A total of 216 patients (167 males, 49 females) with a history of CVD were included. They were followed for a median (interquartile range) of 8.1 (5.5–9.3) years, with a total of 1184 patient-years of follow-up. The overall incidence rate of recurrent CVD events was 92.1 per 1000 patient-years. The 8-year cumulative incidence was 73.7%. Age, female sex, and diabetes mellitus were significant predictors of recurrent CVD events, where females had a 1.96 times higher risk of recurrent CVD events than males. Conclusion Significant predictors of recurrent CVD events are older age, female sex, and diabetes mellitus. The incidence rate of recurrent CVD events was 92.1 per 1000 patient-years. Preventive measures, based on international guidelines for CVD management, may improve CVD morbidity and mortality in the UAE population.


2020 ◽  
pp. bjophthalmol-2019-315333
Author(s):  
Juan E Grunwald ◽  
Maxwell Pistilli ◽  
Gui-Shuang Ying ◽  
Maureen G Maguire ◽  
Ebenezer Daniel ◽  
...  

PurposeChronic kidney disease (CKD) patients often develop cardiovascular disease (CVD) and retinopathy. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between progression of retinopathy and concurrent incidence of CVD events in participants with CKD.DesignWe assessed 1051 out of 1936 participants in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study that were invited to have fundus photographs obtained at two timepoints separated by 3.5 years, on average.MethodsUsing standard protocols, presence and severity of retinopathy (diabetic, hypertensive or other) and vessel diameter calibre were assessed at a retinal image reading centre by trained graders masked to study participants’ information. Participants with a self-reported history of CVD were excluded. Incident CVD events were physician adjudicated using medical records and standardised criteria. Kidney function and proteinuria measurements along with CVD risk factors were obtained at study visits.ResultsWorsening of retinopathy by two or more steps in the EDTRS retinopathy grading scale was observed in 9.8% of participants, and was associated with increased risk of incidence of any CVD in analysis adjusting for other CVD and CKD risk factors (OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.25 to 5.22, p<0.01). After imputation of missing data, these values were OR=1.66 (0.87 to 3.16), p=0.12.ConclusionProgression of retinopathy is associated with higher incidence of CVD events, and retinal-vascular pathology may be indicative of macrovascular disease even after adjustment for kidney diseases and CVD risk factors. Assessment of retinal morphology may provide important information when assessing CVD in patients with CKD.


2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 326-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parvin Mirmiran ◽  
Zahra Bahadoran ◽  
Azita Zadeh Vakili ◽  
Fereidoun Azizi

Limited data are available regarding the association of major dietary patterns and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Middle Eastern countries. We aimed to evaluate the association of major dietary patterns, using factor analysis, with the risk of CVD. Participants without CVD (n = 2284) were recruited from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study and were followed for a mean of 4.7 years. Dietary intake of participants was assessed at baseline (2006–2008); biochemical variables were evaluated at baseline and follow-up examination. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, were used to estimate risk of CVD across tertiles of dietary pattern scores. Linear regression models were used to indicate association of dietary pattern scores with changes of CVD risk factors over the study period. Two major dietary patterns, Western and traditional, were identified. During a mean 4.7 ± 1.4 years of follow-up, 57 participants experienced CVD-related events. In the fully adjusted model, we observed an increased risk of CVD-related events in the highest compared to the lowest tertile category of Western dietary pattern score (HR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.03–4.18, P for trend = 0.01). Traditional dietary pattern was not associated with incidence of CVD or CVD risk factors. A significant association was observed between the Western dietary pattern and changes in serum insulin (β = 5.88, 95% CI = 0.34–11.4). Our findings confirm that the Western dietary pattern, characterized by higher loads of processed meats, salty snacks, sweets, and soft drinks, is a dietary risk factor for CVD in the Iranian population.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 1017-1025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Barison ◽  
Alberto Aimo ◽  
Vincenzo Castiglione ◽  
Chiara Arzilli ◽  
Josep Lupón ◽  
...  

Patients with cardiovascular risk factors or established cardiovascular disease have an increased risk of developing coronavirus disease 19 and have a worse outcome when infected, but translating this notion into effective action is challenging. At present it is unclear whether cardiovascular therapies may reduce the likelihood of infection, or improve the survival of infected patients. Given the crucial importance of this issue for clinical cardiologists and all specialists dealing with coronavirus disease 19, we tried to recapitulate the current evidence and provide some practical recommendations.


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