Inflammation and Heart Attacks
From Richard N. Fogoros, M.D.,
Increased blood levels of an enzyme called myeloperoxidase (MPO,) a protein made by white blood cells, was strongly associated with a high risk of coronary artery disease and heart attack. In the Elevated blood levels of another protein, interleukin 6 (IL6,) was also associated with an increased risk of death in patients with heart disease. Elevated levels of MPO and IL6 were both better predictors of cardiac events than the more commonly used risk factors.
What does this mean?
That both MPO and IL6 turn out to be predictors of cardiac events adds significantly to the growing body of evidence that inflammation in the blood vessels can precipitate the rupture of plaque, and thus the sudden closing off of coronary arteries.
A heart attack is caused by the abrupt closure of the coronary arteries.
Clinicians have long been puzzled as to why many heart attacks occur from sudden blockages in coronary arteries that appear normal or near-normal when tested with coronary angiography. The most widely accepted explanation for such events has been the abrupt rupture of plaques that are either inapparent or that traditionally have been termed "non-significant" on angiography.
What does all this mean to you and your doctor?
Let's assume that the latest theory is right, and that inflammation can be an important factor in causing heart attacks. The best ways we know of at present to reduce factors of inflammation are aspirin and the statins.
As it turns out, both of these drugs ought to be taken already by the vast majority of patients who have coronary artery disease, or who have a high risk of developing coronary artery disease. While aspirin and statins are recommended for reasons other than their anti-inflammatory effects, those effects might turn out to be very important factors in why they work. If doctors and patients merely follow the current recommendations for risk reduction, then they will already be doing everything that is currently known to reduce inflammation.
Increased blood levels of an enzyme called myeloperoxidase (MPO,) a protein made by white blood cells, was strongly associated with a high risk of coronary artery disease and heart attack. In the Elevated blood levels of another protein, interleukin 6 (IL6,) was also associated with an increased risk of death in patients with heart disease. Elevated levels of MPO and IL6 were both better predictors of cardiac events than the more commonly used risk factors.
What does this mean?
That both MPO and IL6 turn out to be predictors of cardiac events adds significantly to the growing body of evidence that inflammation in the blood vessels can precipitate the rupture of plaque, and thus the sudden closing off of coronary arteries.
A heart attack is caused by the abrupt closure of the coronary arteries.
Clinicians have long been puzzled as to why many heart attacks occur from sudden blockages in coronary arteries that appear normal or near-normal when tested with coronary angiography. The most widely accepted explanation for such events has been the abrupt rupture of plaques that are either inapparent or that traditionally have been termed "non-significant" on angiography.
What does all this mean to you and your doctor?
Let's assume that the latest theory is right, and that inflammation can be an important factor in causing heart attacks. The best ways we know of at present to reduce factors of inflammation are aspirin and the statins.
As it turns out, both of these drugs ought to be taken already by the vast majority of patients who have coronary artery disease, or who have a high risk of developing coronary artery disease. While aspirin and statins are recommended for reasons other than their anti-inflammatory effects, those effects might turn out to be very important factors in why they work. If doctors and patients merely follow the current recommendations for risk reduction, then they will already be doing everything that is currently known to reduce inflammation.
posted by Heart Scan @ 4:09 AM
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