Dr. Ajay H. Kantharia
M.D. Consulting Physician & Cardiologist & Critical Care Physician
Associated With
Saifee Hospital, Sir H. N. Hospital, and Smt. Motiben B. Dalvi Hospital.
Apart from General Medicine, he has large number of patients suffering from Ischemic Heart Disease, Cerebrovascular Disease, (Stroke) , Hypertension, Asthma, Diabetes, etc. He is a Critical Care Physician and his opinion on Critically ill patients and his participation in patient care is always in demand.
Adults and/or children that have a Vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin) level of less than 50 nmol/l (20 ng/l) can be considered as deficient in Vitamin D. Strikingly, approximately 30% to 50% of all healthy, middle aged to elderly adults of the entire world population are found to be deficient is Vitamin D. It is now known that by regulating the levels and function of Calcium levels inside the heart cells, Vitamin D can affect the ability of the heart cells to contract and function optimally. Many scientific reports are now proving that Vitamin deficiency is the direct cause behind heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) diseases such as angina, heart attacks, congestive heart failure and stroke.
High blood Pressure
The active form of Vitamin D, Calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D) influences all the cells of the body. In some studies, people taking Calcitriol supplements have been found to have lower blood pressure. In other study, elderly women benefitted from daily Calcium and Calcitriol supplements since their blood pressure was found to be significantly lower and they also experienced a lowered heart rate. These benefits were not seen in those women taking only Calcium. This finding indicates that Vitamin D may have been the primary cause of these benefits.
Heart arteries / Coronary artery disease
Many scientific studies have shown that the risk factors that encourage heart and blood vessel problems such as the deposit of fatty material which produces narrowing of the blood vessels, high blood pressure, high cholesterol in the blood, high level of fatty acids in the blood, diabetes, and obesity have all been found to be significantly associated with deficiencies of Vitamin D. Hard calcium deposits in the walls of the arteries which narrow and constrict the normal flow of blood through the arteries seem to be the central cause for these findings. Vitamin D supplements, when given to kidney disease patients on hemodialysis, were found to lower the chances of death from heart and blood vessel diseases. if their It has been proven that when low Vitamin D levels are seen in patients with high blood pressure, they are at a greater risk of angina, heart attacks and heart failure. Since these risks are even more pronounced in males, men should also ensure that they take Vitamin D supplements.
Heart failure
Vitamin D deficiency also seems to be related to higher chances of heart failure. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with many inflammatory cells in the body, and taking Vitamin D supplementation has been found to lower the overall inflammation in the body and boost the immune system.
Stroke
Stroke seems be another disease which is linked to Vitamin D deficiency due to the changes Vitamin D deficiency causes in the small blood vessels of the brain. This has been confirmed by imaging studies of the brain using MRI.
Conclusion
The risk of cardiovascular death is higher in patients with Vitamin D deficiency. This has been proven in many studies. The risk of death, heart attack, stroke and heart failure are all higher in patients with Vitamin D deficiency even if they don’t have any prior cardiovascular diseases.
Vitamin D deficiency is treatable and daily supplementation is inexpensive. Maintaining an optimal levels of Vitamin D seems to be very important in controlling cardiovascular risk, blood pressure, stroke and other heart diseases. Supplementation Should be taken daily as a simple and important prevention from disease and death from cardiovascular risk in elderly people.
Take home points
- It is now being discovered that so many risk factors leading to serious illnesses and deaths are associated with Vitamin D deficiency.
- It is now clear that cardiovascular diseases and its complications are associated with Vitamin D deficiency.
- There is now enough evidence that Vitamin D supplementation has been a neglected area of study.
- It seems very important to take Vitamin D supplements to lessen the affect and impact of cardiovascular diseases, and the illness and deaths caused from them.
