title: Vitamin D and cardiovascular disease.
abstract: Vitamin D deficiency, as well as cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and related risk factors are highly prevalent worldwide and frequently co-occur. Vitamin D has long been known to be an essential part of bone metabolism, although recent evidence suggests that vitamin D plays a key role in the pathophysiology of other diseases, including CVD, as well. In this review, we aim to summarize the most recent data on the involvement of vitamin D deficiency in the development of major cardiovascular risk factors: hypertension, obesity and dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease and endothelial dysfunction. In addition, we outline the most recent observational, as well as interventional data on the influence of vitamin D on CVD. Since it is still an unresolved issue whether vitamin D deficiency is causally involved in the pathogenesis of CVD, data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) designed to assess the impact of vitamin D supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes are awaited with anticipation. At present, we can only conclude that vitamin D deficiency is an independent cardiovascular risk factor, but whether vitamin D supplementation can significantly improve cardiovascular outcomes is still largely unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria. katharina.kienreich@medunigraz.at
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kienreich
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomaschitz
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Verheyen
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pieber
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaksch
authors.forename: Martin R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Grübler
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pilz
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic; D015995:Prevalence; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D
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