Scientists at Michigan State University have found that cholesterol crystals can disrupt plaque in a patient's cardiovascular system, and thereby cause a heart attack or stroke.
George Abela, chief of the cardiology division in MSU's College of Human Medicine, believes that the new finding may significantly change the way doctors and researchers approach cardiovascular attacks.
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.
During the study, Abela and his colleagues observed that as cholesterol builds up along the wall of an artery, it crystallizes from a liquid to a solid state and then expands.
"As the cholesterol crystallizes, two things can happen. If it's a big pool of cholesterol, it will expand, causing the 'cap' of the deposit to tear off in the arterial wall. Or the crystals, which are sharp, needle-like structures, poke their way through the cap covering the cholesterol deposit, like nails through wood," Abela said.
The researcher further says that such crystals work their way into the bloodstream.
According to him, the presence of this material, along with that of damage to an artery, disrupts plaque and puts the body's natural defence mechanism - clotting - into action.
Advertisement
Stroke – Early Warning Signs - Risk Factor - Rehab - Treatment
Stroke can cause permanent disability and it is important to recognize its early warning signs to stop its progress. Early warning signs of stroke include sudden weakness of facial muscles.
Stroke can cause permanent disability and it is important to recognize its early warning signs to stop its progress. Early warning signs of stroke include sudden weakness of facial muscles.
Abela's team studied coronary arteries and carotid plaques from patients who died of cardiovascular attacks.
Advertisement
Risk factors for cardiovascular disease - Introduction
Distance education for Overview of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease
Distance education for Overview of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease
Abela's team have also found that cholesterol crystals released in the bloodstream during a cardiac attack or stroke can damage artery linings much further away from the site of the attack, leaving survivors at even greater risk.
He says that his study means that health care providers now have another weapon in their arsenal against cardiovascular diseases.
"So far, treatments have not been focused on this process. Now we have a target to attack with the various novel approaches. In the past, we've treated the various stages that lead to this final stage, rather than preventing or treating this final stage of the condition," Abela said.
He and his colleagues have also found that physical conditions like temperature can play a role in how quickly cholesterol crystallizes and potentially causes a rupture.
The findings of the current study appear in the American Journal of Cardiology.
Source-ANI
SRM
