Background: The role of metabolic risk factors in the development atherosclerotic heart disease is well established. Many risk factors are also implicated in a range of other cardiovascular conditions, yet their exact role, effect size, and interactions between them, are less well established.
Objectives: To i) examine and compare the association between different cardiovascular markers and different cardiovascular presentations; ii) identify novel risk factors implicated in the development of cardiovascular diseases, particularly for less commonly studied conditions; iii) examine possible underlying biological mechanisms, by investigating how blood or imaging biomarkers mediate observed associations; iv) develop a novel risk prediction models that considers and balances risks across different cardiovascular presentations.
Methods: The study will use one of the largest and richest datasets available with cardiovascular risk factors, blood biomarkers and imaging data, the UK Biobank. Analyses will consider all variables available in the cohort, investigate risks separately for men and women, and consider 10 cardiovascular outcomes, including acute coronary syndrome; aortic aneurysm; aortic stenosis; atrial fibrillation and flutter; chronic ischaemic heart disease; heart failure; peripheral arterial disease; second- and third-degree heart block; stroke; and venous thromboembolism.
Expected outcomes: A better understanding of possible pathophysiological mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disease across its spectrum of presentations, may support the future development of preventive strategies, treatments and tools for identification of individuals at highest risk of developing cardiovascular events.
