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About 50 percent of people who experience a heart attack will die from it. A heart attack results from obstruction of the blood supply to the heart muscle. When Cholesterol, fatty compounds and other material deposit inside the vessel wall, the inner diameter of the artery becomes narrow and blood cannot flow as well as it should. The consequence is that parts of the body are not sufficiently supplied with nutrients and oxygen.
This condition is called "Coronary Artery Disease". It would be ideal if we knew from the first which of the patients would have a high risk of heart attack. Then we could target prevention more affectively to those who are more likely to get it.
But how can doctors find out which people have a high risk of getting a heart attack?
Researchers of the National Genome Research Network (NGFN) have conducted a comprehensive study that could help in answering this question. The scientists discovered that not only the risk but also the severity and course of coronary artery disease are under genetic control.
The researchers examined 400 families that were affected by coronary artery disease and heart attack. The scientists found out that the disease of large coronary arteries display a high heritability whereas the narrowing of the smaller coronary blood vessels is not markedly influenced by heritable factors.
"This may have great significance for preventive medical check ups", says Professor Heribert Schunkert from the University Clinic in Lübeck.
The NGFN-scientists are currently trying to trace the genes involved in coronary artery disease. A sign of hope for high-risk patients - the identification of those genes might be the basis for appropriate new therapies.
Website of of scientists involved in this NGFN project:
