[Homocysteine as risk marker of cardiovascular disease]

Basic research has demonstrated that homocysteine enhances both arteriosclerosis and thrombosis - the principal cause of CVD. Although studies demonstrate that patients with elevated homocysteine levels have small to moderate increased risk of CVD it remains unclear whether lowering plasma homocysteine levels will decrease risks of CVD. The study was aimed to detect reliability of homocysteine lowering on risk of CVD. We studied 256 patients (56 stenocardia; 96 myocardial infarction; 104 post infarction period). Besides we investigated the influence of blood homocysteine concentration on coronary vessels of patients suffering ischemic heart disease, acute heart disease and those in post infarct period. The majority of coronary vessels demonstrated occlusion and stenosis. The investigation showed the connection between body reactivity and homocysteine level. The higher body reactivity was associated with the higher homocysteine concentration in the blood. It stimulated the development of the mild form of ischemic heart disease -- stenocardia. The increase of homocysteine concentration up to the normal top level points to the danger of development of acute ischemic myocardial disease rather than stenocardia. The investigation showed that the homocysteine blood levels are among the reliable diagnostic markers of CVD. The results of the investigation would permit rational clinical decision making for individual patients and policy decisions for the health of the general population.