Coronary heart disease in postmenopausal women; the role of endogenous estrogens and their receptors

Katerina Saltiki, Maria Alevizaki

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Coronary heart disease is the main cause of death in women. Women during reproductive years are at lower risk for coronary heart disease than men but this difference tends to disappear after the menopause. In this article, we briefly review the clinical and experimental data which highlight the protective role of endogenous estrogens in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease …

Early-life events. Effects on aging

Eero Kajantie

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During the last two decades, a considerable body of evidence has emerged showing that circumstances during the fetal period and childhood may have lifelong programming effects on different body functions with a considerable impact on disease susceptibility …

Subclinical hypothyroidism and vascular risk: Αn update

Eirini Lioudaki, Niki G. Mavroeidi, Dimitri P. Mikhailidis, Emmanouel S. Ganotakis

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Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH), defined as elevated serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the presence of normal circulating free thyroxine (FT4) and triiodothyronine (T3), is a relatively common condition. Replacement treatment with levothyroxine is justified only for individuals with TSH levels >10 mIU/l …

The role of estrogens in cardiovascular disease in the aftermath of clinical trials

Lambrini Gouva, Agathocles Tsatsoulis

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The effects of estrogens on reproductive tissues and climacteric symptoms are unambiguous. However, their effects on other tissues and, in particular, the cardiovascular system remain controversial. In general, premenopausal women are protected from coronary heart disease (CHD) compared with aged-matched men but this `female protection’ appears to be lost after menopause, suggesting beneficial effects of female sex hormones on the cardiovascular system…

Expert consensus on the rational clinical use of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors

Apostolos Achimastos, Theodoros Alexandrides, Dimitrios Alexopoulos, Vasilios Athyros, Alexandra Bargiota, Eleni Bilianou, Christina Chrysochoou, Evridiki Drogari, Moses Elisaf, Emanouel Ganotakis, Ioannis Goudevenos, Ioannis Ioannidis, Genovefa Kolovou, Vasilios Kotsis, Ioannis Lekakis, Evangelos Liberopoulos, Andreas Melidonis, Vasilios Nikolaou, George Ntaios, Nikolaos Papanas, Stavros Pappas, Christos Pitsavos, Loukianos Rallidis, Dimitrios Richter, Ioannis Skoumas, Nicolaos Tentolouris, Dimitrios Tousoulis, Alexandros Tselepis, KonstantinosTsioufis, Dimitrios Tziakas, Konstantinos Tziomalos, Panagiotis Vardas, Charalabos Vlachopoulos, Dimitrios Vlahakos

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Two proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, evolocumab and alirocumab, have recently been approved by both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. These fully human monoclonal antibodies selectively block PCSK9, thus permitting the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor to effectively recycle to the surface of liver cells. The administration of these antibodies leads to robust LDL …

Adiponectin and end-stage renal disease

Anastasia Markaki, Emmanuel Psylinakis, Aspasia Spyridaki

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Adiponectin (ADPN) is an adipokine with significant anti-inflammatory, insulin-sensitizing and anti-atherogenic properties, which is generally associated with a beneficial cardiometabolic profile. Paradoxically, end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is characterized by markedly increased plasma ADPN levels and increased cardiovascular risk. In spite of the cardioprotective properties …

The endocrinology of baldness

Menelaos L. Batrinos

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Male pattern baldness, scientifically known as androgenetic alopecia (AGA), is a very common condition, universally prevalent, which progresses with aging. The loss of scalp hair of any degree both in men and women is a cause of considerable psychological distress …

A 50-year follow-up of the Seven Countries Study: Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, food and nutrient intakes among Cretans

Christos M. Hatzis, Christopher Papandreou, Evridiki Patelarou, Constantine I. Vardavas, Eleni Kimioni, Dimitra Sifaki-Pistolla, Anna Vergetaki, Anthony G. Kafatos

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OBJECTIVE: To identify the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk-factor status and dietary habits of the surviving elderly participants of the initial Seven Countries Study (SCS) cohort and newly recruited middle-aged men from the same villages …

Impact of religiosity/spirituality on biological and preclinical markers related to cardiovascular disease. Results from the SPILI III study

Dimitrios Anyfantakis, Emmanouil K. Symvoulakis, Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos, Dimitrios Tsetis, Elias Castanas, Sue Shea, Maria Venihaki, Christos Lionis

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OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at exploring to what extent psychosocial factors, such as religiosity/spirituality and sense of coherence, mediate the negative effects of stress on a variety of cardiometabolic indicators, i.e., hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, and atherosclerotic bio-clinical markers …

Severity of coronary artery disease in postmenopausal diabetic women

Katerina Saltiki, Adrianna Cimponeriu, Kyriaki Lili, Melpomeni Peppa, Eleni Anastasiou, Maria Alevizaki

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Objective: Coronary artery disease (CAD) risk increases in women after the menopause. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of diabetes on the severity of CAD in postmenopausal women undergoing coronary angiography. Design: 180 postmenopausal women underwent coronary angiography for suspected CAD …