Vitamin D deficiency and myocardial diseases

Mol Nutr Food Res. 2010 Aug;54(8):1103-13. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200900474.

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency is common among patients with myocardial diseases because sun-induced vitamin D production in the skin and dietary intake of vitamin D is often insufficient. Knockout mice for the vitamin D receptor develop myocardial hypertrophy and dysfunction. It has also been shown that children with rickets who suffered from severe heart failure could be successfully treated with supplementation of vitamin D plus calcium. In adults, almost all patients with heart failure exhibit reduced 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, which are used to classify the vitamin D status. In prospective studies, vitamin D deficiency was an independent risk factor for mortality, deaths due to heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Several vitamin D effects on the electrophysiology, contractility, and structure of the heart suggest that vitamin D deficiency might be a causal factor for myocardial diseases. Data from interventional trials, however, are rare and urgently needed to elucidate whether vitamin D supplementation is useful for the treatment of myocardial diseases. In our opinion, the current knowledge of the beneficial effects of vitamin D on myocardial and overall health strongly argue for vitamin D supplementation in all vitamin D-deficient patients with or at high risk for myocardial diseases.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • 25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2 / blood
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Calcifediol / blood
  • Cardiomyopathies / complications*
  • Cardiomyopathies / drug therapy*
  • Cardiomyopathies / epidemiology
  • Cardiomyopathies / mortality
  • Child
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Heart / drug effects
  • Heart / physiology
  • Heart / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Myocardium / metabolism
  • Risk Factors
  • Vitamin D / metabolism
  • Vitamin D / physiology*
  • Vitamin D / therapeutic use*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / blood
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / complications*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / drug therapy*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / epidemiology

Substances

  • Vitamin D
  • 25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2
  • Calcifediol