Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 16, 2026

Large Animal Model for Evaluating the Efficacy of the Gene Therapy in Ischemic Heart
06:07

Large Animal Model for Evaluating the Efficacy of the Gene Therapy in Ischemic Heart

Published on: September 2, 2021

Vascular and haemostatic gene polymorphisms associated with non-fatal myocardial infarction: a critical review

A Manzoli1, F Andreotti, A M Leone

  • 1Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy. a.manzoli@unicampus.it

Italian Heart Journal : Official Journal of the Italian Federation of Cardiology
|May 12, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Genetics play a role in myocardial infarction (MI), but conflicting results exist due to its complex, multigenic nature. Studying multiple gene variations and environmental factors together offers better insights into MI genetic risk.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Genetics
  • Molecular Cardiology
  • Disease Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Familial clustering suggests a genetic component in premature myocardial infarction (MI).
  • Previous studies on gene polymorphisms in vascular and hemostatic factors have yielded inconsistent results regarding MI risk.
  • The multigenic nature of MI and diverse pathogenetic mechanisms complicate the identification of individual gene contributions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To address the conflicting findings in genetic studies of myocardial infarction.
  • To propose a more effective approach for understanding the genetic contribution to MI risk.
  • To highlight the necessity of considering gene-gene and gene-environment interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on gene polymorphisms and myocardial infarction.
  • Discussion of the limitations of single-gene polymorphism studies in complex diseases.
  • Advocacy for simultaneous investigation of multiple polymorphisms and environmental factors.

Main Results:

  • Single gene polymorphisms have a limited role in the overall risk of myocardial infarction.
  • Myocardial infarction pathogenesis involves multiple genes and environmental influences.
  • Conflicting results in prior studies are attributed to the disease's complexity.

Conclusions:

  • A comprehensive approach is needed to unravel the genetic basis of myocardial infarction.
  • Investigating sets of polymorphisms and their interactions with environmental factors is crucial.
  • Understanding specific gene contributions requires studying homogeneous patient cohorts and multifactorial influences.

Related Concept Videos

Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu01:29

Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu

Genetic variations significantly influence drug response through pharmacokinetics, receptor interactions, and biologic milieu modifications. Pharmacokinetic alterations impact drug metabolism and clearance, affecting efficacy and toxicity. Variants in drug-metabolizing enzymes, such as CYP2C9 and CYP2C19, alter drug activation and elimination. For example, CYP2C9 loss-of-function variants require lower warfarin doses to prevent excessive bleeding, while CYP2C19 variants reduce clopidogrel...
Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins01:30

Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins

Hemostasis is a crucial process that prevents excessive blood loss from damaged blood vessels. It involves various mechanisms such as vasoconstriction, platelet adhesion and activation, and fibrin formation. The importance of each mechanism depends on the type of vessel injury. In contrast, thrombosis is the abnormal formation of a blood clot within the blood vessels, leading to potential complications if the clot obstructs blood flow. Thrombosis can be caused by increased coagulability of the...
Principles of Pharmacogenetics: Types of Genetic Variants01:27

Principles of Pharmacogenetics: Types of Genetic Variants

The human genome is over 99.9% identical between individuals, yet genetic differences exist at millions of bases. The human genome contains approximately 3 million variant positions per individual, many of which are heterozygous, contributing to genetic diversity and individual traits. Genetic variations include single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), insertions, deletions, and copy number variations (CNVs).SNPs, the most common variation, involve single-base changes in DNA. These can be...
Ischemic Heart Disease: Overview01:17

Ischemic Heart Disease: Overview

Ischemic heart disease occurs when the heart's blood supply dwindles, causing an ominous lack of oxygen and nutrients. This deficiency, stemming from reduced or obstructed blood flow, spells danger, leading to heart muscle damage and dysfunction.
Atherosclerosis, the primary malefactor, orchestrates this dangerous condition. It manifests as the accumulation of fatty deposits, akin to insidious plaques, within arterial walls. As time elapses, these plaques metamorphose, hardening and narrowing...
Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase01:11

Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase

Genetic polymorphisms in drug targets have emerged as critical determinants of interindividual variability in drug response and toxicity. Pharmacogenomic investigations increasingly focus on identifying these variations to personalize and optimize therapeutic interventions. A drug target may be a receptor, enzyme, or signaling protein involved in pharmacologic responses or disease-related pathways. While early pharmacogenetic studies focused primarily on drug metabolism, current research...