Vascular Dysfunction in Hyperhomocyst(e)inemia. Implications for Atherothrombotic Disease
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Olaf Stanger
Abstract
Elevated plasma homocyst(e)ine is currently accepted as a major, independent risk factor for atherosclerosis and venous thrombosis. Even moderate hyperhomocyst( e)inemia is prospectively associated with increased risk of mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease. However, the underlying mechanisms resulting in vascular damage are not clearly defined.
The endothelium exerts fundamental control on the vascular tone, coagulation and fibrinolysis. Injury to the endothelium followed by dysfunction is an early key event preceding manifestation of vessel pathology. Acute and chronic exposure of endothelium to homocyst(e)ine induces impairment of endothelial function associated with altered homeostasis and morphologic changes of the vessel wall.
Investigations of the role of homocyst(e)ine in the endothelium-dependent function in healthy subjects and cardiovascular patients have recently added important clinical insight with implications for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Importantly, the damaging effects of hyperhomocyst(e)inemia on endothelial function are, at least in part, reversible in patients with established vascular disease, supporting further the hypothesis that homocyst(e)ine-lowering through vitamin supplementation may have vasoprotective effects.
Copyright © 2001 by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG
Articles in the same Issue
- Historical Aspects and Perspectives in Homocysteine Research
- The Importance of Hyperhomocysteinemia as a Risk Factor for Diseases: An Overview
- Pre-analytical Conditions Affecting the Determination of the Plasma Homocysteine Concentration
- Total Plasma Homocysteine and Related Amino Acids in End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Patients Measured by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry – Comparison with the Abbott IMx Homocysteine Assay and the HPLC Method
- Is Hyperhomocysteinemia due to the Oxidative Depletion of Folate rather than to Insufficient Dietary Intake?
- Hyperhomocysteinemia in Advanced Age
- Genetic Defects as Important Factors for Moderate Hyperhomocysteinemia
- Heterogeneity of the Association between Plasma Homocysteine and Atherothrombotic Disease: Insights from Studies of Vascular Structure and Function
- Hyperhomocysteinemia as a Risk Factor for Venous Thrombosis
- Hyperhomocysteinaemia in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease
- Homocysteine, Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease
- Homocysteine in Cerebrovascular Disease: an Independent Risk Factor for Subcortical Vascular Encephalopathy
- Vascular Dysfunction in Hyperhomocyst(e)inemia. Implications for Atherothrombotic Disease
- Hyperhomocysteinemia in Chronic Renal Failure Patients: Relation to Nutritional Status and Cardiovascular Disease
- Homocysteine, Cystathionine, Methylmalonic Acid and B-Vitamins in Patients with Renal Disease
- Hyperhomocysteinemia Is Related to Residual Glomerular Filtration and Folate, but not to Methylenetetrahydrofolate-Reductase and Methionine Synthase Polymorphisms, in Supplemented End-Stage Renal Disease Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis
- Effect of Treatment of Hypothyroidism on the Plasma Concentrations of Neuroactive Steroids and Homocysteine
- Hyperhomocysteinaemia and Human Reproduction
- Homocysteine in Postmenopausal Women and the Importance of Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Does a Single Vitamin B-Supplementation Induce Functional Vitamin B-Deficiency?
- IFCC News – July 2001
Articles in the same Issue
- Historical Aspects and Perspectives in Homocysteine Research
- The Importance of Hyperhomocysteinemia as a Risk Factor for Diseases: An Overview
- Pre-analytical Conditions Affecting the Determination of the Plasma Homocysteine Concentration
- Total Plasma Homocysteine and Related Amino Acids in End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Patients Measured by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry – Comparison with the Abbott IMx Homocysteine Assay and the HPLC Method
- Is Hyperhomocysteinemia due to the Oxidative Depletion of Folate rather than to Insufficient Dietary Intake?
- Hyperhomocysteinemia in Advanced Age
- Genetic Defects as Important Factors for Moderate Hyperhomocysteinemia
- Heterogeneity of the Association between Plasma Homocysteine and Atherothrombotic Disease: Insights from Studies of Vascular Structure and Function
- Hyperhomocysteinemia as a Risk Factor for Venous Thrombosis
- Hyperhomocysteinaemia in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease
- Homocysteine, Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease
- Homocysteine in Cerebrovascular Disease: an Independent Risk Factor for Subcortical Vascular Encephalopathy
- Vascular Dysfunction in Hyperhomocyst(e)inemia. Implications for Atherothrombotic Disease
- Hyperhomocysteinemia in Chronic Renal Failure Patients: Relation to Nutritional Status and Cardiovascular Disease
- Homocysteine, Cystathionine, Methylmalonic Acid and B-Vitamins in Patients with Renal Disease
- Hyperhomocysteinemia Is Related to Residual Glomerular Filtration and Folate, but not to Methylenetetrahydrofolate-Reductase and Methionine Synthase Polymorphisms, in Supplemented End-Stage Renal Disease Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis
- Effect of Treatment of Hypothyroidism on the Plasma Concentrations of Neuroactive Steroids and Homocysteine
- Hyperhomocysteinaemia and Human Reproduction
- Homocysteine in Postmenopausal Women and the Importance of Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Does a Single Vitamin B-Supplementation Induce Functional Vitamin B-Deficiency?
- IFCC News – July 2001
