Date Published:
12 January 2007 |
BHF comments on DNA telomeres as a potential heart disease marker
According to BHF funded research, men with short telomeres—repetitive
strips of DNA that cap the ends of chromosomes—may have a higher risk
of developing coronary heart disease than those with long telomeres.
In response to this British Heart Foundation-funded research in the Lancet
on telomere length as a potential predictor for heart disease, Professor
Peter Weissberg, Medical Director of the BHF, said:
" This is an important BHF study1 that adds to recent findings from
another of our researchers showing that the rate at which cells age may have
an important effect on a person's risk of suffering a heart attack.
Further research is required to determine whether the length of telomeres
could be a practical measure to find patients that would benefit most from
preventive treatment for heart disease.
The results also provide exciting insights into the underlying mechanisms
of heart attacks, taking us closer to finding more ways of preventing them
from happening.”
Ref. (1) - Telomere length, risk of coronary heart disease, and statin
treatment in the West of Scotland Primary Prevention Study. S W Brouilette
and others. Lancet 2007; 369: 107–14
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