Low vitamin D levels may lead to sudden cardiac death
November 18th, 2008 - 2:22 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Nov 18 (ANI): Sunshine is indeed the key to a long and healthy life, for a new study has found that vitamin D deficiency can harm cardiovascular health, and also result in death due to heart failure.
Vitamin D deficiency results in part from reduced exposure to sunlight, which is common during cold weather months when days are shorter and more time is spent indoors.
“Chronic vitamin D deficiency may be a culprit in heart disease, high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome,” said Sue Penckofer, PhD, RN, study author and professor, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University Chicago.
The researchers found that risk of severe disease or death may be 30 to 50 percent higher among sun-deprived individuals with heart disease.
The research team led by Penckofer suggest that diet alone is not sufficient to manage vitamin D levels.
Treatment options to correct the deficiency, such as vitamin D2 or D3, may decrease the risk of severe disease or death from cardiovascular disorders.
“Most physicians do not routinely test for vitamin D deficiency,” said Penckofer.
“However, most experts would agree that adults at risk for heart disease and others who experience fatigue joint pain or depression should have their vitamin D levels measured,” she added. (ANI)
- Vitamin D can help you tide over a bleak winter - Mar 09, 2010
- Vitamin D deficit may up heart disease risk - Nov 24, 2008
- Vitamin D deficiency may increase risk of heart disease: study - Nov 26, 2008
- Vitamin D lifts mood during winters - Mar 04, 2010
- Vitamin D intake delays onset of diabetes, reduces complications - Jan 15, 2009
- Adequate intake of vitamin D can prevent diabetes - Jan 13, 2009
- Elderly need more sun to reduce risk of heart disease, diabetes - May 12, 2009
- Vitamin D deficiency associated with lung transplant rejection - Oct 19, 2010
- Four gene variants that affect vitamin D levels identified - Jun 10, 2010
- Vigilance against skin cancer may lead to vitamin D deficiency - Oct 19, 2010
- Vit D deficiency 'doubles stroke risk in whites, not in blacks' - Nov 15, 2010
- High Vitamin D levels in middle-age cut down heart disease risk - Feb 22, 2010
- High vitamin D levels 'reduce older adults' risk of heart disease, diabetes' - Feb 17, 2010
- It's true - winter blues really do exist! - Dec 21, 2010
- More sunlight may cut older people's heart disease, diabetes risk - May 12, 2009
Tags: cardiovascular disorders, cardiovascular health, cold weather, culprit, depression, fatigue, heart disease, heart failure, high blood pressure, joint pain, loyola university chicago, metabolic syndrome, physicians, study author, sudden cardiac death, sunlight, sunshine, treatment options, vitamin d deficiency, vitamin d2