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Inflammation linked to more fatal heart attacks

Updated: 2009-06-30 17:50:49 CST Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

by Francis Ma

A new study from the University of Glasgow provides evidence that inflammation in the blood is linked to a higher risk of fatal, rather than non-fatal heart attack or stroke.

There has been mounting evidence of inflammation playing a role in cardiovascular disease. High levels found on CRP tests and other tests of inflammatory markers have been linked with a greater risk of a cardiovascular event.

The researchers examined three inflammatory markers - interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen, to see if they were associated with fatal or non-fatal cardiovascular events. They found that all three were more strongly associated with fatal cardiovascular events than with non-fatal events.

The strongest association was with IL-6. IL-6 tests, added to the traditional risk factors of smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol improved the ability to identify individuals at risk of a fatal heart attack or stroke.

The researchers acknowledge that from the current study it is impossible to determine whether the higher levels of inflammation are causing more fatal heart attacks or the other way around, but encourage further research into the use of inflammation as a predictor for cardiovascular disease.

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