Risk of Poor Cardiovascular Outcomes Up in Aging Patients With Down Syndrome
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, May 15, 2025 -- Individuals with Down syndrome are at increased risk of poor cardiovascular outcomes, according to a study published online May 7 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Annie Pedersen, Ph.D., from the Institute of Biomedicine at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, and colleagues used national registries to identify 5,155 individuals born in Sweden between 1946 and 2000 with Down syndrome, as well as matched controls (1:50). Cardiovascular risk was compared between the groups.
The researchers found that Down syndrome was associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke (hazard ratio [HR], 4.41) and hemorrhagic stroke (HR, 5.14). Risk of acute myocardial infarction was similar between the groups, overall, but was increased in younger individuals (under 40 years) with Down syndrome. In people with Down syndrome with selected atherosclerotic (HR, 12.67) and embolic (HR, 10.35,) risk factors, risk of ischemic stroke was even higher, compared to controls without risk factors.
"Our results indicate a different spectrum of cardiovascular risk factors in Down syndrome, which might have implications for screening measures as well as primary and secondary prevention strategies," the authors write. "These findings should inform future studies that aim to further investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases in Down syndrome, as well as health care systems developing guidelines fitted for the unique needs of the Down syndrome population."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted May 2025
Read this next
32 Percent of U.S. Adults Consumed Fast Food on a Given Day in 2021 to 2023
FRIDAY, June 27, 2025 -- Over 30 percent of adults and children consumed fast food on a given day during August 2021 to August 2023, according to two reports from the National...
Marine Microplastic Levels Linked to Cardiometabolic Disease Prevalence
WEDNESDAY, June 18, 2025 -- In coastal counties, marine microplastic levels (MMLs) are associated with the prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases, according to a study published...
Researchers Quantify Magnitude of Cardiovascular Risk Associated With Cannabis
WEDNESDAY, June 18, 2025 -- Cannabis use is associated with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), according to a systematic review based on real-world data published online...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.