Higher levels of phosphorus in the blood may be linked to increased calcification of the coronary arteries, a new study has said, adding that the latter is a key marker of heart disease risk.
"This may help to explain why even early-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk that is not otherwise explained by traditional risk factors," said Katherine R. Tuttle, MD (Providence Medical Research Center, Spokane, WA).
What is a heart attack / How to prevent heart attacks
Heart attack is the death of the heart muscle due to loss of blood supply. Simple guidelines to avoid heart attack are listed.
Heart attack is the death of the heart muscle due to loss of blood supply. Simple guidelines to avoid heart attack are listed.
Previous studies have linked CAC-an early sign of atherosclerosis ("hardening of the arteries")-to an increased risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) and other cardiovascular events.
At the beginning of the study, 28 percent of the participants had CAC. After six years' follow-up, another 33 percent of participants had developed CAC. For those who already had CAC, the level of CAC increased during follow-up.
Heart Attack - Overview
Heart attack is the death of the heart muscle due to loss of blood supply. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Other names for heart attack include acute myocardial infarction, coronary thrombosis, and coronary occlusion.
Heart attack is the death of the heart muscle due to loss of blood supply. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Other names for heart attack include acute myocardial infarction, coronary thrombosis, and coronary occlusion.
"Even small increases in the blood level of phosphorus predicted an increased risk of progressive CAC in these apparently healthy adults," says Tuttle.
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In addition, participants with lower levels of kidney function-even if not below the normal range-were more likely to have progressive CAC. Recent studies have linked higher phosphorus levels to increased CAC in patients with CKD as well.
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"More research will be needed to see if treatments to lower phosphorus levels can reduce heart disease risk in people with early-stage CKD, or even those without CKD who have CAC," Tuttle added.
The study is published in an upcoming issue of Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).
Source-ANI
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