Uncontrolled Cardiac Risk Factors in Men With Prostate Cancer
An international study of men recently diagnosed with prostate cancer or starting androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) found that 99% had at least one uncontrolled modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and 51% had three or more. These included obesity as measured by a high waist-to-hip ratio, high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, physical inactivity and smoking. Common characteristics of men with multiple uncontrolled risk factors included frailty, use of antihypertensive medication, older age and not taking a statin. It is important to bring the increase in CVD risk to light, said the authors in the February 2023 Journal of American College of Cardiology, because ADT can aggravate cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure levels and contribute to obesity. They recommended physicians screen all men with prostate cancer and offer treatment for CVD risk factors as part of prostate cancer survivorship strategy.
