Blood protein levels may predict risk of heart disease
A new study led by an Indian-origin surgeon has found that increased levels of a protein that helps regulate the bodys blood pressure may also predict a major cardiovascular event in high-risk patients.
Measuring the amount of the protein, known as plasma renin activity (PRA), in the blood stream may give doctors another tool to assess a patients risk and help prevent a heart attack or stroke.
Conventional factors like genetics and environment do not always provide a complete patient story and an understanding of cardiovascular risk, said Subodh Verma, cardiovascular surgeon at St. Michaels Hospital.
The plasma renin activity blood marker allows us to identify people at a higher risk and that gives us the opportunity to introduce therapies that would work to lower a patients PRA levels, he said.
His study was based on 2,913 Canadian HOPE (Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation) study patients, who had stable chronic vascular disease and/or diabetes and one cardiovascular risk factor.
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