Mikamo Lecture: a radical view on the 'superfamily' of cardiovascular risk factors.
Many risk factors for cardiovascular disease generate superoxide in the blood vessels and thereby impair endothelial function. To emphasize the critical role of oxygen radicals, this is a 'radical view' of those risk factors. It will be useful to organize risk factors into a 'superfamily', with consideration of mediators, mechanisms, and target organs. Studies are summarized which suggest that, in parallel with the impairment of endothelial vasomotor function, the thrombin/thrombomodulin/activated protein C anticoagulant mechanism, which requires endothelial thrombomodulin, is also impaired by atherosclerosis and improves during regression of atherosclerosis. Impairment of the anticoagulant mechanism may contribute to thrombosis in atherosclerotic arteries, and improvement of the anticoagulant mechanism during regression of atherosclerosis may reduce the risk of cardiovascular events.
Department of Internal Medicine, Roy A. and Lucille J. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA.
Donald D
DD
Heistad
D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D019774:Blood Coagulation Factor Inhibitors / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D013481:Superoxides / Q000097:blood
D019774:Blood Coagulation Factor Inhibitors; D005609:Free Radicals; D013481:Superoxides