atherosclerosis

This JAMA Clinical Guidelines Synopsis summarizes the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association’s 2024 guidelines on management of lower extremity peripheral artery disease.

Author/s:

Aman Kansal, MD, Andrew M. Davis, MD, MPH, Jennifer A. Rymer, MD, MBA

Management of Peripheral Artery Disease

Megan George — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 18:44:50 +0000

Date Added:

July 6, 2025

Journal/Publication:

JAMA Clinical Guidelines Synopsis

Publication Date:

July 2, 2025

URL:

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2835911?guestAccessKey=4bf0464…

Type:

Meta-analyses, Reviews, and Guidelines

Format:

Article

DOI (1):

doi:10.1001/jama.2025.8408

Keywords

guidelines

surgery

vascular surgery

peripheral arterial disease

Cardiology

PMID (1):

40601325

MeSH

Peripheral Vascular Diseases

atherosclerosis

Ischemia

Guidance regarding management of patients with peripheral artery disease. James W. Mold, MD, MPH

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This JAMA Clinical Guidelines Synopsis summarizes the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association’s 2024 guidelines on management of lower extremity peripheral artery disease.

Author/s:

Aman Kansal, MD, Andrew M. Davis, MD, MPH, Jennifer A. Rymer, MD, MBA

Do carotid artery calcifications seen on radiographs predict stenosis in asymptomatic adults?

Bethie Seay — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Date Added:

September 23, 2021

Journal/Publication:

The Journal of Family Practice

Publication Date:

September 1, 2021

Issue:

Volume:

Pages:

357-358

Type:

Meta-analyses, Reviews, and Guidelines

MeSH

Humans

Adult

Carotid Stenosis

Predictive Value of Tests

Cross-Sectional Studies

Constriction, Pathologic

retrospective studies

Carotid Artery Diseases

Carotid artery calcifications are not a good indicator of stenosis.

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EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER:
NOT VERY WELL. IN ASYMPTOMATIC PATIENTS, CAROTID ARTERY CALCIFICATION SEEN ON RADIOGRAPH HAS A POSITIVE PREDICTIVE VALUE OF 70% AND A NEGATIVE PREDICTIVE VALUE OF 75% FOR CAROTID ARTERY STENOSIS (STRENGTH OF RECOMMENDATION [SOR]: B, SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES WITH HETEROGENEOUS RESULTS AND A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY). CAROTID CALCIFICATIONS ON RADIOGRAPHS MAY BE MORE PREDICTIVE OF CAROTID STENOSIS IN PEOPLE WITH ATHEROSCLEROTIC RISK FACTORS (SOR: C, CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY). HARMS OUTWEIGH BENEFITS IN SCREENING FOR CAROTID ARTERY STENOSIS IN ASYMPTOMATIC ADULTS (SOR: B, MULTIPLE COHORT STUDIES); THEREFORE, INCIDENTAL RADIOGRAPHIC CAROTID ARTERY CALCIFICATIONS IN ASYMPTOMATIC PATIENTS SHOULD NOT PROMPT FURTHER TESTING.

Author/s:

Cowdrey, D., Hahn, T. W., Vellardita, L.

Aspirin for Primary Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Prevention as Baseline Risk Increases: A Meta-Regression Analysis

John Bayhi — Thu, 21 May 2020 16:39:36 +0000

Date Added:

May 21, 2020

Journal/Publication:

The American Journal of Medicine

Publisher:

Elsevier Inc

Publication Date:

May 20, 2020

Volume:

Article in Press

URL:

Aspirin for Primary Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Prevention as Baseline Risk Increases: A Meta-Regression Analysis

Type:

Meta-analyses, Reviews, and Guidelines

Format:

Article

DOI (1):

10.1016/j.amjmed.2020.04.028

Keywords

aspirin

primary prevention

Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease

myocardial infarction

MeSH

cardiovascular diseases

Brain Ischemia

follow-up studies

myocardial infarction

This analysis of 12 RCTs involving almost 1 million patients found that low-dose aspirin prevents major cardiovascular events (RRReduction 14%; ARR/1000 patient years 0.06%) but increases major bleeding events (RRIncrease 40%; ARR/1000 patient years 0.1%) across all levels of baseline risk. The researchers concluded that the absolute risk reduction and the risk: benefit ratio suggest that we should probably not prescribe low-dose aspirin for primary prevention even if the baseline risk of CV events is high and the risk of bleeding is low. James W. Mold, MD, MPH

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Background

Aspirin is often prescribed for the primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) however, recent randomized trials (RCTs) have challenged this practice. Despite this, aspirin is commonly recommended for high risk primary prevention. We tested the hypothesis that aspirin is more efficacious for the primary prevention of ASCVD, as the baseline risk increases.

Methods

RCTs that compared aspirin to control for primary prevention and evaluated ASCVD (composite of myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke) and major bleeding were included. Rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. A regression analysis was performed using the ASCVD event rate in the control arm of each RCT as the moderator.

Results

Twelve RCTs were identified with 963,829 patient years of follow-up. Aspirin was associated with a reduction in ASCVD (4.7 versus 5.3 events per 1,000 patient years; RR 0.86; 95% CI 0.79-0.92). There was increased major bleeding among aspirin users (2.5 versus 1.8 events per 1000 patient years, RR 1.41 95% CI, 1.29-1.54). Regression analysis found no relationship between the log rate ratio of ASCVD or major bleeding and incidence of ASCVD in the control arm of each RCT.

Conclusion

Aspirin is associated with a reduction in ASCVD when used for primary prevention; however, it is unlikely to be clinically significant given the increase in bleeding. More importantly, aspirin's treatment effect does not increase as ASCVD risk increases as many hypothesize. There is no suggestion from this data that use of aspirin for higher risk primary prevention patients is beneficial.

Author/s:

Nudy, M, Cooper, J, Ghahramani, M, Ruzieh, M, Mandrola, J, Foy, AJ

Sex Difference in Effects of Low-Dose Aspirin on Prevention of Dementia in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Long-term Follow-up Study of a Randomized Clinical Trial

Brian Desmarais — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 19:29:10 +0000

Date Added:

December 9, 2019

Journal/Publication:

Diabetes Care

Publication Date:

December 4, 2019

URL:

Sex Difference in Effects of Low-Dose Aspirin on Prevention of Dementia in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Long-term Follow-up Study of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Type:

Clinical Research Results

Format:

Article

DOI (1):

10.2337/dc19-1188

Keywords

aspirin

low-dose aspirin

MeSH

aspirin

diabetes mellitus, type 2

And yet more information about the potential value (reduced risk of dementia) of low-dose aspirin, this time in women with Type 2 diabetes.

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OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate and compare the efficacy of long-term use of low-dose aspirin for the prevention of dementia in men and women.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS:

This study is a follow-up cohort study of the Japanese Primary Prevention of Atherosclerosis with Aspirin for Diabetes (JPAD) trial, which was a randomized, open-label, standard care-controlled trial examining the effects of low-dose aspirin on cardiovascular events. We followed up 2,536 Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) enrolled in the JPAD trial from 2002 to 2017. The primary outcome of this post hoc analysis was the incidence of dementia, which was defined by the prescription of antidementia drugs or admission due to dementia.

RESULTS:

Among the originally enrolled patients, 2,121 (84%) retained their original allocation. During a median follow-up of 11.4 years, 128 patients developed dementia. The overall effect of low-dose aspirin on the prevention of dementia adjusted for age, sex, and other established risk factors was not significant (hazard ratio [HR] 0.82, 95% CI 0.58-1.16). However, a significant reduction was seen in the risk of dementia in women (HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.36-0.95), but not in men (HR 1.27, 95% CI 0.75-2.13) (P interaction = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS:

Long-term use of low-dose aspirin may reduce the risk for dementia in women with T2D.

Author/s:

Matsumoto, C., Ogawa, H., Saito, Y., Okada S., Soejima, H., Sakuma, M., Masuda, I., Nakayama, M., Doi, N., Jinnouchi, H., Waki, M., Morimoto, T., JPAD Trial Investigators

2018 Cholesterol Clinical Practice Guidelines: Synopsis of the 2018 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/Multisociety Cholesterol Guideline

Tracy Ashby — Wed, 29 May 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Date Added:

May 29, 2019

Journal/Publication:

Annals of Internal Medicine

Publisher:

The American College of Physicians

Publication Date:

May 28, 2019

URL:

2018 Cholesterol Clinical Practice Guidelines: Synopsis of the 2018 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/Multisociety Cholesterol Guideline.

Type:

Meta-analyses, Reviews, and Guidelines

Format:

Article

DOI (1):

10.7326/M19-0365

Keywords

cholesterol

primary prevention

cardiovascular disease

statin therapy

risk factors

PMID (1):

31132793

MeSH

Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors

secondary prevention

This is the 2018 version of the AHA/ACC Guideline on cholesterol management. James W. Mold, MD, MPH

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Description:

In November 2018, the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) released a new clinical practice guideline on cholesterol management. It was accompanied by a risk assessment report on primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

Methods:

A panel of experts free of recent and relevant industry-related conflicts was chosen to carry out systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined cardiovascular outcomes. High-quality observational studies were used for estimation of ASCVD risk. An independent panel systematically reviewed RCT evidence about the benefits and risks of adding nonstatin medications to statin therapy compared with receiving statin therapy alone in persons who have or are at high risk for ASCVD.

Recommendation:

The guideline endorses a heart-healthy lifestyle beginning in childhood to reduce lifetime risk for ASCVD. It contains several new features compared with the 2013 guideline. For secondary prevention, patients at very high risk may be candidates for adding nonstatin medications (ezetimibe or proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 [PCSK9] inhibitors) to statin therapy. In primary prevention, a clinician–patient risk discussion is still strongly recommended before a decision is made about statin treatment. The AHA/ACC risk calculator first triages patients into 4 risk categories. Those at intermediate risk deserve a focused clinician–patient discussion before initiation of statin therapy. Among intermediate-risk patients, identification of risk-enhancing factors and coronary artery calcium testing can assist in the decision to use a statin. Compared with the 2013 guideline, the new guideline gives more attention to percentage reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol as a treatment goal and to long-term monitoring of therapeutic efficacy. To simplify monitoring, nonfasting lipid measurements are allowed.

Author/s:

Grundy, Scott M, Stone, Neil J., Guideline Writing Committee for the 2018 Cholesterol Guidelines