There's more to heart disease risk than just bad cholesterol
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have identified new biological pathways that contribute to heart disease risk beyond just LDL cholesterol levels. The study uses proteomics to analyze how different fat-carrying particles affect blood vessels.
Why it matters
Understanding these additional risk factors could lead to more effective treatments for patients who remain at risk for heart disease despite having healthy cholesterol levels.
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden shed new light on the remaining risk of heart disease, even after the known risk factor of ‘bad’ cholesterol is brought down to a healthy level.
In a new study published in the European Heart Journal , key biological pathways – and an understanding of how the body is affected – were identified for the particles believed to contribute to the remaining disease risk.
According to the World Health Organization, nearly 17.9 million people die from cardiovascular diseases worldwide every year, with heart attacks and strokes accounting for more than four out of five of those deaths.
Coronary heart disease, which can lead to a heart attack if untreated, develops when fatty material (cholesterol) accumulates in the blood vessels supplying the heart.
High blood cholesterol is a key risk factor for this.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in