A new research publication reveals that lack of vitamin D can double the risk of getting cardiovascular disease like stroke and heart failure. Dr. James H. O'Keefe director of preventive cardiology at the Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City is the lead author of a paper  published in the Dec. 9 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Dr. O’Keefe opined that lack of vitamin D can add to known major risk factors like high blood pressure diabetes and stiffening of the left ventricle of the heart and blood-vessels.