title: Magnesium and cardiovascular biology: an important link between cardiovascular risk factors and atherogenesis.
abstract: In this review, a rationale is presented for how hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, end-stage renal disease, renal dialysis, and prolonged stress can all lead to atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, and stroke. The data indicate that Mg deficiency caused either by poor diet and/or errors in Mg metabolism may be a missing link between diverse cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis. Data from our laboratories and others indicate that reduction in extracellular and intracellular free Mg ions (Mg2+) can induce an entire array of pathophysiological phenomena known to be important in atherogenesis, that is, vasospasm, increased vascular reactivity, elevation in [Ca2+]i, formation of proinflammatory agents, oxygen radicals, platelet aggegation, reduction in cardiac bioenergetics, cardiac failure, oxidation of lipoproteins, gender-related modulation of endothelial-derived relaxing factor/NO, changes in membrane fatty acid saturation, changes in membrane plasmalogens and N-phospholipids (suggesting changes in intracellular phospholipid signals), and probably transcription factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, State University of New York, Health Science Center at Brooklyn 11203, USA.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Altura
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Altura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000378:metabolism*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000378:metabolism; D008274:Magnesium / Q000502:physiology*; D008275:Magnesium Deficiency / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D008274:Magnesium