Calcium supplements associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death in men but not women

Commentary on: Xiao Q, Murphy RA, Houston DK, et al.. Dietary and supplemental calcium intake and cardiovascular disease mortality: the National Institutes of Health-AARP diet and health study. JAMA Intern Med 2013;173:639–46 Implications for practice and research Calcium supplements increase cardiovascular risk. The role of calcium supplements in the management of osteoporosis should be reconsidered. Context In 2008, a randomised controlled trial (RCT) suggested that calcium supplements might increase the risk of cardiovascular events.1 Subsequent meta-analyses of RCTs examining calcium monotherapy and calcium and vitamin D confirmed these findings. In a pooled analysis of 13 RCTs of calcium with or without vitamin D (n=29 277) including 1391 patients with myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke,2 calcium increased the risk of MI by 25% and stroke by 15–20%. Xiao and colleagues explored this issue in the observational National Institutes of Health-American Association...
Source: Evidence-Based Nursing - Category: Nursing Authors: Tags: Primary health care, Drugs: cardiovascular system, Stroke, Diet, Ischaemic heart disease, Osteoporosis Source Type: research