Examining Links Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Cardiovascular Disease

Host: Janet Wright, MD Guest: Jeffrey Anderson, MD Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are common because of a number of factors, not the least of which is a lack of exposure to sunlight. What role does vitamin D play in ensuring cardiovascular health, and should clinicians routinely test patients for such deficiency? Dr. Jeffrey Anderson, vice-chair of research in the department of medicine and associate chief of cardiology and director of cardiovascular research at Intermountain Medical Center, discusses current evidence about vitamin D and the heart, but says more prospective studies are needed to determine whether vitamin D plays an associated or causal role related to cardiovascular health. Is routine vitamin D supplementation useful for protecting cardiovascular health, or should clinicians wait for more evidence? Dr. Janet Wright hosts. Produced in Cooperation with