Calcium supplementation, cardiovascular disease and mortality in older women.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the long-term cumulative effect of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes and death in older women.


METHODS
We undertook an observational cohort study using UK electronic primary care records in the Doctor's Independent Network (DIN-LINK) database; 9910 women aged 60-89 who started calcium and vitamin D supplementation between 2000 and 2005, with no heart disease or stroke history and who survived disease free for 2 years after supplement initiation were studied. The main outcome was first occurrence of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke or death more than 2 years after initiation.


RESULTS
In the period from 2 years after supplement initiation, women who had received >600 days supplementation in these first 2 years were no more at risk of MI, stroke or death (hazard ratio 0.82 (0.67-1.01)) compared to women who received < or = 90 days supplementation in the first 2 years. Outcomes in the first 2 years were analysed separately and showed similar baseline risks in our comparison groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Two years after initiation, women who have consistently received supplementation with calcium and vitamin D do not experience more cardiovascular events or deaths than women who received minimal supplementation.
Shah
Sunil M
SM
Division of Community Health Sciences, St George's University of London, London SW17 0RE, UK. sushah@sgul.ac.uk
Carey
Iain M
IM
Harris
Tess
T
DeWilde
Stephen
S
Cook
Derek G
DG
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D014807:Vitamin D