Page 38 - Clinical Pearls in Cardiology

26 Clinical Pearls in Cardiology

1. Obesity—waist circumference in men >102 cm and
in women >88 cm.
2. Serum triglycerides ≥150 mg/dL or drug treatment
for elevated triglycerides.
3. Serum HDL cholesterol <40 mg/dL in men and
<50 mg/dL in women or drug treatment for low
HDL cholesterol.
4. Blood pressure ≥130/85 mm Hg or drug treatment
for elevated blood pressure.
5. Fasting plasma glucose ≥100 mg/dL or drug
treatment for elevated blood glucose.
39. What is the role of DASH diet and alcohol consumption
in decreasing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality?
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is
a combination diet which is rich in fruits and vegetables
and low in saturated fat. The DASH diet comprises four
to five servings of fruit, four to five servings of vegetables
and two to three servings of low fat dairy products per
day. A combination of low sodium intake and DASH
diet is said to have a significant role in decreasing blood
pressure.
Total cardiovascular mortality is reduced (about 18
percent) in men who drink one to two drinks daily and
women who drink one alcoholic drink daily, compared
to nondrinkers. A J-shaped curve describes this
relationship, with increased mortality found in those
with alcohol intake that exceeds moderate limits and in
binge drinkers. The ‘French paradox’ is something which
highlights the protective effect of moderate alcohol use.
The French people consume moderate amounts of wine
regularly. So even though the French people have a lipid
profile which is similar to their neighbors, their mortality
rate from cardiovascular disease is one-third to that of