Simple Heart Test Predicts Memory Loss Years Ahead

Researchers conducted a prospective study to evaluate whether subclinical myocardial injury during midlife, indexed by rising cardiac troponin I levels, predicts accelerated cognitive decline, smaller structural brain volume, and a higher risk for dementia.
A total of 5985 British civil service participants (aged 45-69 years at baseline) recruited from the Whitehall II study were followed up for a median of 24.8 years through March 2023.
All participants were free of dementia and cardiovascular disease and had cardiac troponin I levels measured at baseline.
Cognitive function was assessed through a comprehensive test battery administered at six waves of clinical examination between 1997 and 2022, evaluating memory, executive function, and fluency domains.

Each doubling of cardiac troponin I levels at baseline was associated with a 10% higher risk for dementia (hazard ratio, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.03-1.17), and levels above 5.2 ng/L conferred a 38% higher risk than levels below 2.5 ng/L.
Participants with cardiac troponin I levels above 5.2 ng/L had a 0.10 SD lower global cognitive z score at the age of 80 years (95% CI, 0.02-0.18) and a 0.19 SD lower score at the age of 90 years (95% CI, 0.03-0.35) than those with levels below 2.5 ng/L, indicating approximately 1.4 and 2 years of accelerated cognitive ageing, respectively.
Furthermore, participants with cardiac troponin I levels above 5.2 ng/L had 0.64% lower grey matter volume and an 18% higher risk for hippocampal atrophy than those with levels below 2.5 ng/L, corresponding to an age effect of 2.7 and 3 years, respectively.
Cardiac troponin I levels were consistently higher in those who developed dementia than in control individuals, detectable between 7 and 25 years before diagnosis, indicating long-term elevation preceding clinical onset.

New horizons of cardiotherapy Since the introduction of the first implantable stimulator and defibrillator (ICD), cardiological science has advanced far. ICDs are highly effective, but their main disadvantage is the complications associated with the electrodes. To avoid the need for venous access and complications caused by transvenous electrodes, a fully subcutaneous ICD system (pc-ICD) was developed.

Integrated model of medical care for the treatment of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in China A new study involving 6817 patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction has shown that every minute of life counts. Chinese scientists have tested an integrated aid model. This study assessed the impact of a comprehensive IMPST treatment strategy in China.

The relationship between low‑density lipoprotein cholesterol, the apolipoprotein B ratio, and sarcopenia The ratio of low‑density lipoprotein cholesterol to apolipoprotein B (LDL‑C/ApoB) (LDL-C/ApoB), which reflects the cholesterol content in an atherogenic lipoprotein particle, may serve as a new biomarker for the risk of sarcopenia. Scientists conducted a study based on data from the largest American representative survey (NHANES).

Blood Pressure Variability Linked to Cognitive Decline in High-Risk Adults Higher visit-to-visit systolic blood pressure variability was independently associated with faster cognitive decline in adults at elevated cardiovascular risk, regardless of mean blood pressure levels in a study.

General Anesthesia Ups Heart Failure Risk After Valve Surgery Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patients who received general anesthesia had a higher incidence of heart failure at 1 year than those who received nongeneral anesthesia.

CARDIOPROGRESS
Foundation for the advancement of cardiology