Item — HN Reader

This was a write-up of a new study (TARGET-D) that used vitamin D supplements -- with the supplement amount guided by blood testing -- to reduce heart attack risk.

I've been working in heart health in 10 years and I was surprised at the magnitude of the effect here.

I hope it holds up as they move toward the final publication. Vitamin D supplementation is cheap and this could have a huge benefit.

2 comments

I believe there's also a Finnish vit-d study which showed very good results in afib protection

Cool! Is this the one? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37302737/

Would it change practice substantially? I thought that typically vitamin D levels are measured at least annually and treated if low.

I would be very surprised if most people get vitamin d levels measured annually.

I’ve had 5 different primary care doctors across multiple practices in different locations due to moving, changing jobs, and doctors retiring

Every single one of them included Vitamin D testing in the annual checkup.

Two of my jobs in the past few years have had wellness programs that offered free Vitamin D testing along with a couple other things (A1c, lipids)

It’s very common in the United States at least. I know this goes against the “US healthcare bad” narrative but one of the difficulties with our costs is that we get more testing and procedures. Cutting those costs is going to be hard because people like the freedom to have their doctor order common tests

I would say it's probably less "US healthcare bad" and more "US healthcare is bimodal".

At least for the past few years it has been part of my annual physical. I had no idea it was part of the blood test until it came out as being low.

I would be very surprised if anyone got vitamin d levels measured who didn't specifically request it.

The 25-hydroxy vitamin D test (aka: 25(OH)D test) is not part of a lipid panel, comprehensive (nor standard) metabolic panel, or any number of tests I have regularly. Without a specific request, it's unlikely anyone gets tested for this unless maybe you're a psychiatric patient. When I had severe depression in my 20s, a doctor did have this test done.

All of my doctors (due to moves, retirements, etc) have done this for years in the US.

When the topic came up recently at a get together everyone could recall their relative Vitamin D levels (too low, normal) from recent checkups.

It’s common, at least in the US areas where I’ve lived.

It's surprising because so many people are deficient and the treatment is extremely cheap. It's bizarre, it's like if a problem is a big enough problem, medicine says well most people are living with it and washes its hands.

People in particular groups with higher risk of deficiency will be tested every year by many doctors. That practice obviously can't amount to testing every year being the average though.

No, not typically. Myself I would usually order one either on specific request, or to investigate things like osteoporosis or pathologic fractures, but not as screening. USPSTF does not currently recommend vitamin D screening either in asymptomatic, non-pregnant adults ( https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recomme... ).

I moved to a different doctor and it was part of their normal blood work.

I'm nearly 70, and I have never had my vitamin D levels tested. (This is in the US).