[Hyperhomocysteinaemia: physiopathology and medical implications]

Homocysteine is an intermediate aminoacid result of the conversion of methionine to cysteine. Homocystinuria or the hyperhomocysteinaemia are the most frequently related disorders of this aminoacid, being the former an autosomic recessive alteration, whereas the latter is conditioned by multiple factors, being the most important the genetic and nutritional factors. In the last years this alteration has regained special interest because of its increasing role in the thrombotic pathologies and the identification that hyperhomocysteinaemia represents an independent risk factor for the accelerated atherogenesis of multiple diseases. In this review physiopathological aspects and clinical implications of hyperhomocysteinaemia are mentioned as well as its diagnoses and treatment.