Cardiovascular risk higher in men with prostate cancer

About two in three men with prostate cancer are at increased cardiovascular (CV) risk, suggests a recent study. A positive association exists between a plan to use androgen deprivation therapy and baseline CV risk factors, but such link is explained by confounding factors.

The authors described the CV risk profile in a representative cohort of patients with prostate cancer treated with or without androgen deprivation therapy. A total of 2,492 consecutive men (mean age, 68 years) with prostate cancer (newly diagnosed or with a plan to prescribe androgen deprivation therapy for the first time) from 16 Canadian sites were included. The Framingham risk scores were calculated to estimate the CV risk.

Ninety-two percent of men had new prostate cancer (intermediate risk, 41 percent; high risk, 50 percent). Twelve percent only had primary school as the highest level of education achieved. More than half of the participants (58 percent) were current or former smokers, while 22 percent had known CV disease, 16 percent had diabetes, 45 percent had hypertension, 31 percent had body mass index ≥30 kg/m², and 24 percent had low levels of physical activity. Mean handgrip strength was 37.3 kg.

Sixty-nine percent of men had a Framingham risk score consistent with high CV risk. Framingham risk scores were higher among participants in whom androgen deprivation therapy was planned than those not intending to receive the said treatment. Of note, such risk disappeared after adjustment for confounders.