Heart disease is now accepted to be an inflammatory condition and not due to excess cholesterol.
There is a growing consensus that CRP (c-reactive protein) levels, which can be measured via blood tests, are an indicator of inflammation bearing a risk of increased risk for heart disease. C-reactive protein is elevated after injury, fever, and infection. Continued high CRP levels may cause a chain reaction as seen in atherosclerosis i.e. coronary plaque, narrowing of the vessel’s lumen, thrombus formation, decreasing blood flow to the heart causing a hear attack [1].
At the Cleveland Clinic Dr. Bhatt did a study showing that if cardiac patients with high CRP levels were treaded with an antithrombotic agent before the procedure, rates of severe complications decreased to 10.2 percent from 24 percent. People suffering from diabetes seemed to benefit the most from this procedure [2].
Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic state that this changes everything in treatment of heart disease. While cholesterol levels still might play a role in heart disease, in the coming decades they say, everyone will need to know their CRP levels as a more important indicator for heart disease [3].
How can one prevent high levels of CRP? I hate to repeat myself but the best treatment for increased levels of CRP are lifestyle changes. And people familiar with my stance on chronic disease know what that entails. Losing weight, increasing exercise, kicking the nicotine habit, getting high blood pressure under control and reducing alcohol intake.
Beste Gesundheit,
Werner
References
1. Cleveland Clinic, Heart and Vascular Institute. “Role of inflammation -Growing proof inflammation is a major risk factor for heart disease.” Last accessed September 9, 2008
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