With a proliferation of guidelines designed to reduce costs based on the risk profiles of patients, and a more general trend towards a preventative care framework, it's important to stay on top of the latest research into these risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
What constitutes a high-risk patient? What's new in risk assessment? Stay tuned, ACVP blog will bring you more on the latest in cardiovascular disease risk factors.
"Stem Cell Factor" Linked to Cardiovascular Disease Risk
A new study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine identified a risk factor with a similar predictive value to established cardiovascular risk factors such as LDL and HDL cholesterol.
Blood levels of this "stem cell factor (SCF)," thought to be related to blood vessel repair, were found to play a significant role in protection against vascular degenerative diseases. "Lower SCF levels were also associated with more severe carotid disease, less fibrous atherosclerotic plaques and an increased incidence of heart failure," write the authors.
Results indicate that the "SCF-c-kit pathway may be a promising biomarker and therapeutic target in cardiovascular disease." (Source: Medical News Today)
An interesting thought with the “Stem Cell Factor” introduced to us. Always thought there might be a Genetic possibility of all the different things dealt with in the Cardiac Cath Lab every day. Will read the reference materials as stated above. I attended the Family Tree DNA 10th International Genetic Genealogy Conference last year in Houston, Texas and a lot of ideas popped into my mind in reference to Cardiology.