Predicting Heart Disease Risk

Researchers and Doctors studying at the Emory University School of Medicine have found a new method in measuring oxidative stress within the blood. There is a substance in the blood, cystine (the oxidized form of the amino acid cysteine), which may be helpful when predicting a patients risk for heart disease.

They studied more than 1,200 people through cardiac imaging that were suspected for heart disease, and determined that the patients with a high level of cystine in their blood were twice as likely to have a heart attack or die over the next few years. Cystine is a valuable marker for cardiovascular risk, and also has a harmful effect on cells. Therefore, finding a way to reduce the levels of cystine would be beneficial regardless of the success regarding the cardiovascular risk.

The connection of cystine and risk for heart attack or disease, was an exciting find because there are already methods known to reduce cystine levels in a patient. Simple methods include supplementing the patient’s diet with zinc.

I found this article to be interesting because it may affect my life personally later on. My dad has a heart disease, and there is a good chance that I will inherit it and develop the disease as I grow older. This newfound technology may be helpful in determining risks as well as treatment.

Erica Williams
VTPP 434-502

Source: http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=22959