[The physiological changes of menopause are associated with an increase in cardiovascular risk. Cardiovascular diseases lead mortality statistics also in women. Several physiological effects of oestrogen are thought to be protective for the circulatory system. The reasonable idea of hormone replacement therapy, however, has not met the expectations. This article reviews the relevant studies and discusses the possible causes of failure. The second part focuses on the issue of prevention. The Evidence-Based Guidelines for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Women, a recommendation developed in the US, is delineated. Hungarian data are provided based on results of the Menokard programme. The paper gives an overview of hormone replacement therapy and cardiovascular prevention in postmenopausal women.]

[Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most common pain relief and anti-inflammatory medications all over the World, and many formulations are also available over-the-counter. Beyond the well-known gastrointestinal risks, emerging evidence supports increased incidence of cardiovascular events associated with the use of NSAIDs. This cardiovascular risk seems to be independent of the cyclooxygenase selectivity of these drugs. Distinct side effect profiles of various NSAIDs were summarized in a former issue of the Journal: LAM 2014;24(7): 327. In this paper, we aimed to summarize some of the yet unpublished results of a major research project of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), that was conducted in order to establish the relative risk of CV outcomes (myocardial infarction, ischaemic stroke and hospitalization for heart failure) associated with the use of various NSAIDs. In this epidemiological study, seven European healthcare databases on a source population of 35 million subjects were linked and analyzed. Most of the results are currently only available on the project homepage; however, analyses of heart failure data have already been published in a recent issue of The BMJ. ]

[SGLT-2-inihibitors are considered as a new class among oral antidiabetic drugs. The first derivatives of this class became available in the last couple of years in Hungary. According to the requirements from regulatory bodies, randomized, controlled clinical trials have been initiated in order to evaluate the cardiovascular safety of nearly all new antidiabetic drugs in patients with type 2 diabetes. Among SGLT-2-inhibitors, only one trial with empagliflozine has been completed so far. Based on the endpoints of the EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial a significant decrease in different cardiovascular events and total mortality was observed in type 2 diabetic patients with elevated cardiovascular risk. The exact pathomechanism of this beneficial effect has not been clearly understood. Currently, the position statements and scientific guidelines clearly describe the place of SGLT-2-inhibitor drugs in the treatment algorithm; the beneficial effect of empagliflozine on cardiovascular events should seriously be considered when making therapeutic decision. Together with the results of ongoing studies with SGLT-2-inhibitors (dapagliflozine: DECLARE, canagliflozine: CANVAS), these data will provide a more robust evidence about the cardiovascular safety of this new class of oral antidiabetic drugs. ]

Metabolic syndrome is constantly discussed, together with cancer diseases, as one of the biggest threats to the 21st century. Despite the differing indicators of specific diseases behind the metabolic syndrome, it is to be understood as a very risky aspect of health. Primary prevention through life style modifications, specifically reduction of the sedentary way of life and integration of regular physical activity into daily life of children, adults and seniors is an appropriate tool of prevention of metabolic syndrome. A number of valid studies show that increasing physical motion contributes to improvement of diseases that stand behind the metabolic syndrome. However, healthy adult population of the Czech Republic shows distinctive dislike of physical activity and primary prevention is insufficiently supported both by experts dealing with this issue and at political level while secondary prevention prevails. Therefore we consider it imperative to involve more funding into programs supporting physical activity. It is also necessary to explore forms of education within the physically active life style.

[Migraine is a common health problem affecting women more commonly. It has been associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular events. In this study, we investigated whether aortic elastic properties is altered in migraineurs with low cardiovascular risk compared with healthy controls, in order to elicit further evidence on tentative association between migraine and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Methods - Forty-three migraine patients with low CVD risk were enrolled to the study. Thirty-three volunteers, with a similar age and sex distribution served as a control group. Following parameters of the aortic elasticity were calculated: aortic strain, aortic stiffness (β) index and aortic distensibility. Results - Aortic strain was not statistically different between the study and control group. However, aortic distensibility and β index were significantly impaired in patients with migraine compared to control subjects Discussion - The elastic properties of the aorta in migreineurs may be different from normal by using easily available echocardiographic methods. This information may be a clue for clarification of cardiovascular system involvement in migraine.]