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Strong associations have been demonstrated between the American Heart Association’s cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics and various cardiovascular outcomes, but the association with sudden cardiac death (SCD) is uncertain. We examined the associations between these CVH metrics and the risks of SCD and all-cause mortality among men in Finland.

We used the prospective population-based Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease cohort study, which consists of men between 42 and 60 years of age at baseline. CVH metrics were computed for 2577 men with CVH scores at baseline ranging from 0 to 7, categorized into CVH scores of 0-2 (poor), 3-4 (intermediate) and 5-7 (ideal). Multivariate Cox regression models were used to estimate the hazards ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of ideal CVH metrics for SCD and all-cause mortality. During a median follow-up period of 25.8 years, 280 SCDs and 1289 all-cause mortality events were recorded. The risks of SCD and all-cause mortality decreased continuously with increasing number of CVH metrics across the range 2-7 (p value for non-linearity for all <0.05). In multivariable analyses, men with an ideal CVH score had an 85% reduced risk of SCD compared with men with a poor CVH score (HR 0.15; 95% CI 0.05-0.48; p = 0.001). For all-cause mortality, there was a 67% lower risk among men with an ideal CVH score compared with those with a poor CVH score (HR 0.33; 95% CI 0.23-0.49; p <0.001).

Ideal CVH metrics were strongly and linearly associated with decreased risks of SCD and all-cause mortality among middle-aged men in Finland.

Ideal CVH metrics were strongly and linearly associated with decreased risks of SCD and all-cause mortality among middle-aged men in Finland.

The aim of this study was to determine the ability to predict all-cause mortality using established per cent-predicted (%PRED) equations for peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) estimated by a submaximal walk test in outpatients with cardiovascular disease.

Male patients (N = 1491) aged 62 ± 10 years at baseline underwent a moderate and perceptually regulated (11-13 on the 6-20 Borg scale) 1-km treadmill-walking test to estimate VO2peak. %PRED was derived from the Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise A National Data Base (FRIEND) and the Wasserman/Hansen equations.

There were 215 deaths during a median 9.4-year follow-up. The FRIEND prediction equation provided better prognostic information with receiver operating curve analysis showing significantly different areas under the curve (0.72 and 0.69 for the FRIEND and the Wasserman/Hansen equations respectively, p = 0.001). Overall mortality rate was higher across decreasing tertiles of %PRED using FRIEND, with 26%, 11% and 5% for the least fit, inar disease.

Functional capacity is used as an indicator for cardiac testing before non-cardiac surgery and is often performed subjectively. However, the value of subjectively estimated functional capacity in predicting cardiac complications is under debate. We determined the predictive value of subjectively assessed functional capacity on postoperative cardiac complications and mortality.

An observational cohort study in patients aged 60 years and over undergoing elective inpatient non-cardiac surgery in a tertiary referral hospital.

Subjective functional capacity was determined by anaesthesiologists. The primary outcome was postoperative myocardial injury. selleck inhibitor Secondary outcomes were postoperative inhospital myocardial infarction and one year mortality. Logistic regression analysis and area under the receiver operating curves were used to determine the added value of functional capacity.

A total of 4879 patients was included; 824 (17%) patients had a poor subjective functional capacity. Postoperative myocardial injury occurred in 718 patients (15%). Poor functional capacity was associated with myocardial injury (relative risk (RR) 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5-2.0; P < 0.001), postoperative myocardial infarction (RR 2.9, 95% CI 1.9-4.2; P < 0.001) and one year mortality (RR 1.7, 95% CI 1.4-2.0; P < 0.001). After adjustment for other predictors, functional capacity was still a significant predictor for myocardial injury (odds ratio (OR) 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.7; P = 0.023), postoperative myocardial infarction (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.3-3.0; P = 0.002) and one year mortality (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.8; P = 0.003), but had no added value on top of other predictors.

Subjectively assessed functional capacity is a predictor of postoperative myocardial injury and death, but had no added value on top of other preoperative predictors.

Subjectively assessed functional capacity is a predictor of postoperative myocardial injury and death, but had no added value on top of other preoperative predictors.

The aim of this study was to assess the performance of eight clinical risk prediction scores to identify individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at high cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, as defined by the presence of atherosclerotic plaques.

CVD risk was estimated in 210 eligible SLE patients without prior CVD or diabetes mellitus (female 93.3%, mean age 44.8 ± 12 years) using five generic (Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE), Framingham Risk Score (FRS), Pooled Cohort Risk Equations (ASCVD), Globorisk, Prospective Cardiovascular Münster Study risk calculator (PROCAM)) and three ‘SLE-adapted’ (modified-SCORE, modified-FRS, QRESEARCH risk estimator, version 3 (QRISK3)) CVD risk scores, as well as ultrasound examination of the carotid and femoral arteries. Calibration, discrimination and classification measures to identify high CVD risk based on the presence of atherosclerotic plaques were assessed for all risk models. CVD risk reclassification was applied for all scores by incorporatin in patients with SLE.

It is well known that patients with chronic heart failure and hypokalaemia have increased mortality risk. We investigated the impact of normalising serum potassium following an episode of hypokalaemia on short-term mortality among patients with chronic heart failure.

We identified 1673 patients diagnosed with chronic heart failure who had a serum potassium measurement under 3.5 mmol/l within 14 days and one year after initiated medical treatment with both loop diuretics and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin-II receptor blockers. A second serum potassium measurement was required 8-30 days after the episode of hypokalaemia. All-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality was examined within 90 days from the second serum potassium measurement. Mortality was examined according to six predefined potassium groups derived from the second measurement<3.5 mmol/l (n = 302), 3.5-3.7 mmol/l (n = 271), 3.8-4.1 mmol/l (n = 464), 4.2-4.4 mmol/l (n = 270), 4.5-5.0 mmol/l (n = 272), and 5.1-8.0 mmol/l (n = 94).