title: Role of vitamin D in cardiovascular health.
abstract: Observational studies strongly associate vitamin D deficiency with a variety of cardiovascular diseases beyond defects in bone and calcium metabolism. Vitamin D has multiple mechanisms that potentially may affect cardiovascular health. Because vitamin D deficiency is common, therapies directed at the replacement of vitamin D may be beneficial. To date however, studies evaluating vitamin D supplementation are few and have not consistently shown benefit. It is possible that the lack of benefit in these studies may have arisen from suboptimal levels of vitamin D supplementation or other unknown factors. Nevertheless, the growing body of observational data and consistent findings of relatively high rates of low vitamin D serum levels warrant further well-designed studies to investigate the relation between vitamin D and cardiovascular health. In conclusion, vitamin D is now recognized as important for cardiovascular health and its deficiency as a potential risk factor for several cardiovascular disease processes.
authors.affiliation: Mid America Cardiology, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center and Hospital, Kansas City, Kansas, USA.
authors.forename: Subba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reddy Vanga
authors.forename: Mathew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Good
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Vacek
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000517:prevention & control; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D014807:Vitamin D