Publications by authors named "Martin B Mortensen"
Background: Implementation of semaglutide weight loss therapy has been challenging due to drug supply and cost, underscoring a need to identify those who derive the greatest absolute benefit.
Objectives: Allocation of semaglutide was modeled according to coronary artery calcium (CAC) among individuals without diabetes or established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Methods: In this analysis, 3,129 participants in the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) without diabetes or clinical CVD met body mass index criteria for semaglutide and underwent CAC scoring on noncontrast cardiac computed tomography.
The Western Denmark Heart Registry (WDHR) is a semi-national, multicenter-based clinical registry with unique potential for cardiovascular research. The registry has provided detailed prospectively registered information on patient and procedure characteristics since 1999. WDHR data can be linked to additional data in other healthcare registries in Denmark.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increased in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but it remains uncertain how long an elevated CVD occurrence precedes diabetes diagnosis.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate CVD occurrence 30 years before, and 5 years after, T2DM diagnosis compared with matched comparisons.
Methods: This combined case-control and cohort study included all individuals diagnosed with T2DM in Denmark between 2010 and 2015, as well as general population comparisons matched by age and sex.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines the relationship between polygenic scores for coronary heart disease (CHD) and coronary artery calcium (CAC) in adults aged 75 and older, suggesting that genetic factors may influence arterial aging beyond traditional risk factors.
- Researchers analyzed data from 1,865 participants, finding that higher polygenic CHD risk scores were associated with significantly lower odds of having no CAC and much higher odds of having high CAC levels.
- Each standard deviation increase in the polygenic risk score corresponded to a 78% increase in CAC scores, indicating a strong link between genetic predisposition and arterial health in older adults.
Article Synopsis
- - Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is a genetic condition affecting about 1 in 220 to 250 people in Denmark, but most cases remain undiagnosed.
- - If left untreated, FH significantly increases the risk of early cardiovascular diseases, making early diagnosis and treatment crucial.
- - General practitioners play an essential role in screening for FH, while specialized Lipids Clinics manage diagnosis and treatment, suggesting that treatment should start from ages 7 to 10.
Background And Aims: Statin therapy reduces myocardial infarction rate but whether it is associated with a shift of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) towards non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (non-STEMI) remains unknown. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that statin use is associated with less STEMI relative to non-STEMI in first-time myocardial infarction.
Methods: In a nationwide study, including 66,896 patients with first-time myocardial infarction between 2010 and 2021, we obtained multivariable risk estimates for STEMI versus non-STEMI according to any statin use, cumulated statin use, and daily statin dose.
Purpose Of Review: This review examines current evidence on pharmacologically induced plaque stabilization in the context of a growing range of new therapies. It explores the potential for a paradigm shift in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) prevention, where treatments may not need to be lifelong to achieve lasting benefits.
Recent Findings: Since 2015, over 14 novel therapies have been introduced, each shown to reduce ASCVD risk when added to standard care with statins and aspirin.
Article Synopsis
- Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is useful for analyzing coronary atherosclerotic plaques, but previous studies on the consistency of plaque volume measurements between scans are limited.
- In a study involving 101 patients, CCTA scans were performed twice with a one-hour interval using identical protocols, and plaque volumes were assessed using semi-automated software.
- Results showed high correlation for total, non-calcified, and calcified plaques, but lower for low-density non-calcified plaques, with reproducibility influenced by image quality, reconstruction settings, and lesion location, particularly in left anterior descending (LAD) arteries.
Background: Compared to normal high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol values, very high HDL cholesterol is associated with a higher incidence of mortality and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). As such, clinical risk stratification among persons with very high HDL cholesterol is challenging.
Objectives: Among persons with very high HDL cholesterol, the purpose was to determine the prevalence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) and compare the association between traditional risk factors vs CAC for all-cause mortality and ASCVD.
Article Synopsis
- A study examined the relationship between how completely patients with stable angina were revascularized (opened blocked arteries) and their cardiovascular health outcomes, using a method called fractional flow reserve (FFR) to measure artery health.
- In 900 patients, those who were incompletely revascularized had a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular events, like heart attacks, compared to those who were completely revascularized or had normal FFR readings.
- The findings suggest that ensuring complete revascularization in patients with critical artery blockages (FFR ≤ 0.80) could lead to better heart health outcomes.
Coronary Artery Disease Is A Stronger Predictor of All-Cause Mortality Than Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Among Patients With Newly Diagnosed Heart Failure: Insights From the WDHR.
J Am Heart Assoc
July 2024
Background: In patients with newly diagnosed heart failure (HF) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50%, little is known whether LVEF per se or presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) provides independent prognostic information on all-cause mortality.
Methods And Results: Using the WDHR (Western Denmark Heart Registry), we identified 3620 patients with newly diagnosed HF and LVEF 10% to 49% referred for first-time coronary angiography as part of general workup of HF. Patients were stratified by LVEF (10%-35% versus 36%-49%) and presence of CAD.
Background: Some autoimmune diseases carry elevated risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), yet the underlying mechanism and the influence of traditional risk factors remain unclear.
Objectives: This study sought to determine whether autoimmune diseases independently correlate with coronary atherosclerosis and ASCVD risk and whether traditional cardiovascular risk factors modulate the risk.
Methods: The study included 85,512 patients from the Western Denmark Heart Registry undergoing coronary computed tomography angiography.
Background: Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein B (apoB) are highly correlated measures of atherogenic lipoproteins.
Objectives: The study investigators hypothesized that excess apoB is associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI), atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and all-cause mortality.
Methods: The study included 53,484 women and 41,624 men not taking statins from the Copenhagen General Population Study.
Prediction of individual lifetime cardiovascular risk and potential treatment benefit: development and recalibration of the LIFE-CVD2 model to four European risk regions.
Eur J Prev Cardiol
October 2024
Aims: The 2021 European Society of Cardiology prevention guidelines recommend the use of (lifetime) risk prediction models to aid decisions regarding initiation of prevention. We aimed to update and systematically recalibrate the LIFEtime-perspective CardioVascular Disease (LIFE-CVD) model to four European risk regions for the estimation of lifetime CVD risk for apparently healthy individuals.
Methods And Results: The updated LIFE-CVD (i.
Aims: Assessment of residual cardiovascular risk in statin-treated patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is pivotal for optimizing secondary preventive therapies. This study investigates if non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) is associated with residual ASCVD risk in statin-treated ischaemic heart disease (IHD) patients with and without diabetes.
Methods And Results: Using the Western Denmark Heart Registry, we identified statin-treated patients with IHD examined by coronary angiography (CAG) from 2011 to 2020.
Background: Although a coronary artery calcium (CAC) of ≥1,000 is a subclinical atherosclerosis threshold to consider combination lipid-lowering therapy, differentiating very high from high atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk in this patient population is not well-defined.
Objectives: Among persons with a CAC of ≥1,000, the authors sought to identify risk factors equating with very high-risk ASCVD mortality rates.
Methods: The authors studied 2,246 asymptomatic patients with a CAC of ≥1,000 from the CAC Consortium without a prior ASCVD event.
Background: The association between coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) derived fractional flow reserve (FFR) and risk of recurrent angina in patients with new onset stable angina pectoris (SAP) and stenosis by CTA is uncertain.
Methods: Multicenter 3-year follow-up study of patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of new onset SAP who underwent first-line CTA evaluation and subsequent standard-of-care treatment. All patients had at least one ≥30 % coronary stenosis.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigated the long-term prognosis of patients suspected of having acute coronary syndrome (ACS) based on serial high-sensitivity troponin-I (hsTnI) measurements during hospitalization from 2012 to 2019.
- A total of 20,609 individuals were analyzed, revealing that those with persistently elevated hsTnI levels had the highest mortality rates (8.0% within 30 days and 11.1% within 365 days), while those with normal levels had much lower rates (0.5% and 2.6%, respectively).
- Changes in hsTnI concentration, particularly rising levels, could indicate higher mortality risk, especially for those with more than a 50%
Background: Identifying patients at high residual risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) despite statin-treatment is of paramount clinical importance. We aim to investigate if non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) identifies residual risk of ASCVD and death in statin-treated patients with ischemic heart disease and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ≤ 1.8 mmol/L.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Contemporary data on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is needed to guide appropriate preventive management.
Objectives: The authors sought to investigate sex- and age-specific 10-year CVD risk in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM compared with the general population.
Methods: A cohort study was conducted of all Danish patients with T2DM diagnosed between 2006 and 2013 (n = 142,587) and sex- and age-matched individuals from the general population (n = 388,410), all without prior atherosclerotic CVD.
Objective: To investigate whether hs-CRP and IL-6 provide additional diagnostic value beyond that achieved by the HEART score in patients with chest pain suggestive of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) admitted to the emergency department (ED).
Methods: This was a post hoc analysis using data from the RACING-MI study. Baseline data, including hs-CRP and IL-6 levels, were analyzed using the plasma from the biobank.
Education level and the use of coronary computed tomography, functional testing, coronary angiography, revascularization, and outcomes-a 10-year Danish, nationwide, registry-based follow-up study.
Eur Heart J Qual Care Clin Outcomes
June 2024
Background And Aims: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) can guide downstream preventive treatment and improve patient prognosis, but its use in relation to education level remains unexplored.
Methods: This nationwide register-based cohort study assessed all residents in Denmark between 2008 and 2018 without coronary artery disease (CAD) and 50-80 years of age (n = 1 469 724). Residents were divided according to four levels of education: low, lower-mid, higher-mid, and high.