Calcium supplementation -- without giving vitamin D at the same
time -- appears to increase the risk of myocardial infarction, a
new review of past research has shown. Among studies of patients
with or at risk of osteoporosis, those who received calcium
supplements were about 30 percent more likely to have a heart
attack than those who did not, Dr. Ian Reid, MD of the
University of Auckland in New Zealand and colleagues reported
online in BMJ. "As calcium supplements are widely used, these
modest increases in risk of cardiovascular disease might
translate into a large burden of disease in the population," the
researchers wrote. "A reassessment of the role of calcium
supplements in the management of osteoporosis is warranted." In
a statement, Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a cardiologist at Lenox Hill
Hospital in New York City, said, "This study helps to remind us
that 'one size does not fit all,' even in recommending
supplements and preventive care." "For patients who are at risk
for heart disease, with multiple risk