Tag Archives: heart disease risk factors

Why should lipoprotein(a) be measured? The cardiovascular risk conferred by serum lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) in large noteworthy epidemiological studies1,2 over two decades ago was inconsistent and often underestimated owing to poor standardisation of the commercially available Lp(a) immunoassays. During the last decade, however, genome-wide association and Mendelian randomisation studies have identified Lp(a) as a new risk factor for calcific aortic stenosis and as a causal risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) across ethnicities.3,4 Elevated Lp(a) is associated with accelerated progression of low-attenuation plaque for

Introduction Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to revolutionise cardiology over the next decade, offering unprecedented potential and exciting advancements. The immense burden of cardiovascular disease in the population provides cardiologists with a huge swathe of rich medical data, yet at the moment this is still underutilised. Machine learning and deep learning are subsets of AI that learn from data, rather than being specifically programmed, to identify new patterns and produce decision-making models.1 From improving diagnostic accuracy to enhancing treatment strategies, machine learning has the power to reshape patient care and outco

Introduction Since its inception by Agatston and Janowitz in 1990, coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring has blossomed from a novel imaging tool to an internationally accepted biomarker of cardiovascular risk included in current preventive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) guidelines.1-7 With its growing adoption, debate has emerged over the proper use of CAC scores in risk stratification, with controversy surrounding its role in excluding obstructive disease in symptomatic patients. Presently, we focus on the role of CAC in risk stratification for coronary heart disease (CHD). We review the overwhelming evidence validating CAC