Extent of arterial calcification by conventional vitamin K antagonist treatment.

Background And Aims: Vitamin K antagonists (VKA) remain the most frequently prescribed oral anticoagulants worldwide despite the introduction of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC). VKA interfere with the regeneration of Vitamin K1 and K2, essential to the activation of coagulation factors and activation of matrix-Gla protein, a strong inhibitor of arterial calcifications. This study aimed to clarify whether VKA treatment was associated with the extent of coronary artery calcification (CAC) in a population with no prior cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Prevalence of coronary artery calcification in a non-specific chest pain population in emergency and cardiology departments compared with the background population: a prospective cohort study in Southern Denmark with 12-month follow-up of cardiac endpoints.

Objectives: To examine and compare the prevalence of coronary artery calcification (CAC) and the frequency of cardiac events in a background population and a cohort of patients with non-specific chest pain (NSCP) who present to an emergency or cardiology department and are discharged without an obvious reason for their symptom.

Design: A double-blinded, prospective, observational cohort study that measures both CT-determined CAC scores and cardiac events after 1 year of follow-up.

Setting: Emergency and cardiology departments in the Region of Southern Denmark.

Clinical features and prognosis of patients with acute non-specific chest pain in emergency and cardiology departments after the introduction of high-sensitivity troponins: a prospective cohort study.

Objectives: To determine the incidence of clinical, cardiac-related endpoints and mortality among patients presenting to an emergency or cardiology department with non-specific chest pain (NSCP), and who receive testing with a high-sensitivity troponin. A second objective was to identify risk factors for the above-noted endpoints during 12 months of follow-up.

Design: A prospective multicentre study.