Dyslipidemia

In the era of progressive technology, the diagnostic modalities for stable coronary artery disease are various. The original cardiac stress test has been used in the past for many purposes, including diagnosis of obstructive coronary artery disease in a patient with chest pain as well as risk stratification for ischemia. More recently, coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) has emerged as a great tool to diagnose anatomically obstructive coronary lesions. However, for the past few years, obtaining functional and physiologic data such as comparative fractional flow reserve (FFR) has become the gold standard for evidence of ischemia on CCTA similar to invasive angiography.

The American Heart Association was one of the first organizations to advocate dietary changes to decrease the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). The organization's first recommendation appeared in 1957 advising a decrease in the amount of fat intake to decrease atherosclerosis risk. Today, a different approach is recommended, which considers the diet as a whole, with recommendations of what to both include and avoid. Among other nutritional and lifestyle recommendations, the AHA advises the consumption of 2 servings of fish weekly for both men and women.

Also known as alternate day fasting, "zigzag" caloric cycling calls for the dieter to eat the number of calories required to maintain weight one day, and then 25% of his or her energy needs on the fast day. Studies have shown that individuals who are compliant with this pattern can lose 4% to 8% of their body weight over 8 to 12 weeks.

Disproven medical theories and practices can be slow to change, and nowhere is this truer than in the field of clinical nutrition.

Prebiotics and probiotics have been discussed frequently in the media for supposedly improving overall health, especially diseases related to the gut. However, the evidence on the efficacy and use of these dietary supplements is rather complicated.

After studying an Amish population, researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center have discovered a mutation in a fat-storage gene that increases a patient's risk for type 2 diabetes.

Current dietary guidelines promoting high consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids and low consumption of total saturated fats are not clearly supported by the medical literature.

Study results show testosterone therapy reduces total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides while boosting high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Several studies have shown good results with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and laparoscopic gastric banding when combined with lifestyle modifications in severely overweight patients with type 2 diabetes.

Study results presented at ACC.14 show treatment with PCSK9 inhibitor evolocumab significantly reduces LDL-cholesterol levels in patients with hypercholesterolemia.

Thomas Dayspring, MD, FACP, FNLA, NCMP, discusses the promises and pitfalls of the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guideline on the Treatment of Blood Cholesterol to Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk in Adults.

Researchers estimate 43% of the roughly 3.1 million kidney stone episodes among US diabetics are related to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), while another 680,000 cases may result from poor glycemic control.

A researcher from the University of Central Florida Medical School addresses many concerns and misperceptions of fructose-containing sugars.

The risk calculator tool and recommendations included in the new American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) hyperlipidemia guidelines are open to significant debate.

A study published in the Journal of Urology found morbidly obese patients are more likely to develop uric acid kidney stones and less likely to develop calcium oxalate stones compared to normal weight controls.

Study results show improvements in body composition, intrahepatic lipids, and cardiovascular risk markers in obese men treated with growth hormone for six months compared with placebo.

As an adjunct to diet and exercise, Amarin's lipid-regulating agent Vascepa (icosapent ethyl capsules) is indicated to reduce triglyceride levels in adult patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia, or very high triglyceride (TG) levels greater than or equal to 500 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

Results from the RELAX-AHF show serelaxin reduces cardiovascular deaths and improves symptoms in patients with heart failure.

Results from a sub-study of the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT) that focused on quality of life issues in patients who had previously suffered a heart attack and were treated with chelation therapy reveal no improvements in these patients' quality of life.

Autophagy may provide an entirely new target to reverse atherosclerosis.

Podcast discussion of the value of CT angiography to measure stenosis severity and predict ischemia.

Video explores current options for managing hypertension and atherosclerosis.

The American Heart Association recently revealed its annual list of the most important cardiovascular and stroke research findings from the past year.