Lower femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly women not on statins.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) and osteoporosis, the two most frequently occurring chronic diseases of aging populations, share many risk factors including lack of estrogen, smoking, and low physical activity. CAD and low bone mineral density (BMD) are strongly associated. Statins, (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A [HMG-CoA] reductase inhibitors), are used to prevent and treat CAD and have been associated with high BMD. This cross-sectional study examined associations of BMD with statin use and nonuse in elderly women with or without CAD. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted on 185 women aged ≥60 years who were referred between October 2010 and March 2015 to a geriatric osteoporosis clinic in Houston, Texas, for compromised skeletal health. Compared to the control group (without CAD and without statin use), patients with CAD and no statin use were more likely to have lower femoral neck BMD (ß: -0.46, 95% confidence interval: -0.75 to -0.18). The BMD of patients taking statins, regardless of presence of CAD, was similar to that of the control group. Statins may be protective in preventing bone loss in elderly women suffering from CAD. Prospective trials are warranted to determine if continued use of statins in them would help prevent both CAD and bone loss.

Right Ventricular Outflow Obstruction Due to Metastatic Neuroendocrine Tumor.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare malignant tumors that arise from neuroendocrine cells of the gastrointestinal tract and often metastasize to the liver, lung, and bone. Cardiac metastasis of NETs is uncommon. We report a patient with a past medical history of a neuroendocrine tumor of the left femur presenting with signs and symptoms of new onset heart failure. Transthoracic echocardiogram and cardiac magnetic resonance showed a large mass within the right ventricle causing right ventricular outflow obstruction. A positron emission tomographic/computed tomographic scan (PET-CT) revealed increased uptake of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) activity within the right ventricle consistent with metastasis. Cardiac biopsy of the right ventricular mass revealed metastatic nonfunctioning neuroendocrine tumor. In view of the fact that it was a tumor that caused the right ventricular obstruction, the patient was started on chemotherapy with improvement of symptoms. This case highlights that in patients with a history of neuroendocrine tumor presenting with heart failure, cardiac metastasis should be included in the differential.

Stroke Prevention: Not all Antihypertensive Drugs are Created Equal.

Reductions in blood pressure (BP) through intervention can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients. However, a number of trials indicate that beta-blockers, despite lowering BP, do not reduce the risk of stroke. A recent meta-analysis suggested that, over and beyond BP reduction, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors appear superior to calcium channel blockers for prevention of coronary heart disease whereas calcium channel blockers appear superior to ACE inhibitors for prevention of stroke. Indeed, in the Syst-EUR study a 42% reduction in strokes was achieved in the calcium antagonist arm when compared to the placebo arm.It is hypothesised that antihypertensive agents that stimulate the AT2-receptor (thiazide diuretics, dihydropyridine calcium antagonists and angiotensin receptor blockers) are more cerebroprotective than drug classes that do not stimulate the AT2-receptor (beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors).The angiotensin receptor blockers are the only drug class that have a dual mechanism of action that could be helpful in preventing strokes in that they not only inhibit the AT1-receptor but also allow stimulation of the AT2-receptor. Not surprisingly therefore, in trials such as LIFE, VALUE and MOSES, angiotensin receptor blockers showed excellent cerebroprotection.