Preventive Lipid-Lowering Therapy and Interactions With Health Care in Patients Who Develop Premature Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Rates of premature coronary artery disease (CAD) are stagnant, and the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in young and middle-aged adults is increasing. Lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) is effective in preventing CAD but is underutilized in younger patients. The reasons for and consequences of this underutilization are not fully understood.

Cardiovascular risk and subclinical atherosclerosis in first-degree relatives of patients with premature cardiovascular disease.

Background: Screening first-degree relatives (FDRs) of patients with premature coronary artery disease (CAD) is recommended but not routinely performed.

Objectives: To assess the diagnostic yield and impact on clinical management of a clinical and imaging-based screening program of FDRs delivered in the setting of routine clinical care.

Methods: We recruited FDRs of patients with premature CAD with no personal history of CAD and prospectively assessed for: 1) cardiovascular risk and presence of significant subclinical atherosclerosis (SA) defined as plaque on carotid ultrasound, stenosis >50% or extensive atherosclerosis on coronary computed tomography angiography, or coronary artery calcium scores >100 Agatston units or >75% percentile for age and sex; 2) utilization of preventive medications and lipid levels prior enrolment and after completion of the assessment.

Longitudinal Control of Lipid Levels in Patients With Premature Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) is a central aspect of the treatment of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), and the benefits of LLT accrue over time. However, there are limited real-world data on longitudinal lipid control in patients with premature CAD.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess longitudinal attainment of guideline-recommended lipid goals and outcomes in a contemporary cohort of patients with premature CAD.

The Importance of Nontraditional and Sex-Specific Risk Factors in Young Women With Vasomotor Nonobstructive vs Obstructive Coronary Syndromes.

Background: Heart disease is the leading cause of premature death for women in Canada. Ischemic heart disease is categorized as myocardial infarction (MI) with no obstructive coronary artery disease (MINOCA), ischemia with no obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA), and atherosclerotic obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) with MI (MI-CAD) or without MI (non-MI-CAD). This study aims to study the prevalence of traditional and nontraditional ischemic heart disease risk factors and their relationships with (M)INOCA, compared to MI-CAD and non-MI-CAD in young women.

Efficacy and Safety of XEN1101, a Novel Potassium Channel Opener, in Adults With Focal Epilepsy: A Phase 2b Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Many patients with focal epilepsy experience seizures despite treatment with currently available antiseizure medications (ASMs) and may benefit from novel therapeutics.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of XEN1101, a novel small-molecule selective Kv7.2/Kv7.