Response to “calcium supplements and cardiovascular risk”

Cardiovascular Effects of Calcium Supplements

Calcium supplements reduce bone turnover and slow the rate of bone loss. However, few studies have demonstrated reduced fracture incidence with calcium supplements, and meta-analyses show only a 10% decrease in fractures, which is of borderline statistical and clinical significance. Trials in normal older women and in patients with renal impairment suggest that calcium supplements increase the ...

Do calcium supplements increase the risk of cardiovascular events?

We searched the medical literature using the terms “calcium supplements” and “cardiovascular events” in PubMed Clinical Queries, Trip database, and Cochrane reviews. Cochrane reviews did not address this question. Trip database identified an abstract in DARE (database of abstracts of systematic reviews that have been quality assessed) on the following review1: Bolland MJ, Avenell A, Baron JA, e...

Calcium Supplements and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: What Do Clinicians and Patients Need to Know?

Clinicians and Patients Need to Know? C is the most abundant mineral in the body. Although 99% of total body calcium is found in the bones and teeth, it also plays an essential role in vascular contraction and dilation, muscle function, nerve transmission, intracellular signaling, and hormonal secretion (1). A recent comprehensive review convened by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to establish ...

Effect of calcium supplements on risk of myocardial infarction and cardiovascular events: meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether calcium supplements increase the risk of cardiovascular events. DESIGN Patient level and trial level meta-analyses. DATA SOURCES Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (1966-March 2010), reference lists of meta-analyses of calcium supplements, and two clinical trial registries. Initial searches were carried out in November 2007, ...

Calcium Supplements & Heart Attack Risk Demystified