A review of the evidence
American Heart Journal
Kunadian V, et al. – Whether vitamin D supplementation will be beneficial among patients with coronary artery disease, including high risk older patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome, is unknown and warrants further investigation.
- Coronary artery disease remains the leading cause of death in developed countries despite significant progress in primary prevention and treatment strategies.
- Older patients are at particularly high risk of poor outcomes following acute coronary syndrome and impaired nutrition, including low vitamin D levels, may play a role.
- The extraskeletal effects of vitamin D, in particular, its role in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system are receiving increased attention.
- Longitudinal studies have demonstrated increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity associated with vitamin D deficiency.
- Low vitamin D levels have been linked to inflammation, higher coronary artery calcium scores, impaired endothelial function and increased vascular stiffness.
- However, so far, few randomized controlled trials have investigated the potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation in preventing cardiovascular events, and most available trials have tested low doses of supplementation in relatively low–risk populations.