Risk Factor Interactions, Non-High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol to Apolipoprotein B Ratio, and Severity of Coronary Arteriosclerosis in South Asian Individuals: An Observational Cohort Study

The utility of coronary artery calcium scoring to enhance cardiovascular risk assessment for South Asian adults

South Asian individuals represent a highly diverse population and are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States. This population has a high prevalence of traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and a disproportionately high prevalence of coronary heart disease. To reflect this, current national society guidelines have designated South Asian ancestry as a "risk enhancing factor" which may be used to guide initiation or intensification of statin therapy. However, current methods of assessing cardiovascular risk in South Asian adults may not adequately capture the true risk in this diverse population. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring provides a reliable, reproducible, and highly personalized method to provide CVD risk assessment and inform subsequent pharmacotherapy recommendations, if indicated. This review describes the utility of CAC scoring for South Asian individuals.

Disentangling Dual Threats: Premature Coronary Artery Disease and Early-Onset Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in South Asians

South Asian individuals (SAs) face heightened risks of premature coronary artery disease (CAD) and early-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), with grave health, societal, and economic implications due to the region's dense population. Both conditions, influenced by cardiometabolic risk factors such as insulin resistance, hypertension, and central adiposity, manifest earlier and with unique thresholds in SAs. Epidemiological, demographic, nutritional, environmental, sociocultural, and economic transitions in SA have exacerbated the twin epidemic. The coupling of premature CAD and T2DM arises from increased obesity due to limited adipose storage, early-life undernutrition, distinct fat thresholds, reduced muscle mass, and a predisposition for hepatic fat accumulation from certain dietary choices cumulatively precipitating a decline in insulin sensitivity. As T2DM ensues, the β-cell adaptive responses are suboptimal, precipitating a transition from compensatory hyperinsulinemia to β-cell decompensation, underscoring a reduced functional β-cell reserve in SAs. This review delves into the interplay of these mechanisms and highlights a prediabetes endotype tied to elevated vascular risk. Deciphering these mechanistic interconnections promises to refine stratification paradigms, surpassing extant risk-prediction strategies.