Review
Copyright ©2013 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Cardiol. Sep 26, 2013; 5(9): 337-346
Published online Sep 26, 2013. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v5.i9.337
Relationship between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease
Yan-Chiou Ku, Mu-En Liu, Chang-Sheng Ku, Ta-Yuan Liu, Shoa-Lin Lin
Yan-Chiou Ku, Nursing Department, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan
Mu-En Liu, Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan
Chang-Sheng Ku, Division of Cardiology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital-Tainan Branch, Tainan 710, Taiwan
Ta-Yuan Liu, Ta Yuan Polyclinic, Taipei 106, Taiwan
Shoa-Lin Lin, Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yuan’s General Hospital, Kaohsiung 802, Taiwan
Shoa-Lin Lin, National Defense Medicine Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan
Author contributions: Lin SL and Ku YC planned the structure of the article and were the primary writers; Liu ME and Ku CS contributed to the development and editing of the manuscript; Da-Yuan Liu assisted in data collection and prepared figure 1.
Supported by (in part) the Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, No. VGHKS100-032
Correspondence to: Shoa-Lin Lin, MD, Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yuan’s General Hospital, No.162, Cheng-Gong 1st Rd., Lingya District, Kaohsiung 802, Taiwan. lingoodman@yahoo.com.tw
Telephone: +886-7-3351121 Fax: +886-7-3505220
Received: June 24, 2013
Revised: August 26, 2013
Accepted: September 3, 2013
Published online: September 26, 2013
Processing time: 93 Days and 18.4 Hours
Abstract

Epidemiological studies have found that low 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels may be associated with coronary risk factors and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Additionally, vitamin D deficiency causes an increase in parathyroid hormone, which increases insulin resistance and is associated with diabetes, hypertension, inflammation, and increased cardiovascular risk. In this review, we analyze the association between vitamin D supplementation and the reduction in cardiovascular disease. The role of vitamin D deficiency in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is still controversial, and larger scale, randomized placebo controlled trials are needed to investigate whether oral vitamin D supplementation can reduce cardiovascular risk. Given the low cost, safety, and demonstrated benefit of higher 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, vitamin D supplementation should become a public health priority for combating common and costly chronic cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Morbidity; Mortality; Review; Vitamin D

Core tip: We performed an extensive review to determine whether vitamin D supplementation reduces cardiovascular risk. Only double-blind, placebo- and randomized-controlled trials were included. The role of vitamin D deficiency in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is still controversial, and larger scale, randomized placebo controlled trials are underway to address this issue. These results from these studies will likely not be available for another 3-5 years. At this stage, we propose recommendations for preventing of vitamin D deficiency and conclude that there is a benefit to vitamin D supplementation.