Homocysteine in vascular disease: an emerging clinical perspective.
Traditionally, arterial and venous thrombo-embolism has been attributed to pathophysiological lesions in the vessel wall, or altered blood contents or flow through the lumen. Logically these fall into the category of a high-shear system, as opposed to the rather different circumstances in slowly moving columns of blood. The re-evaluation of this belief has been prompted by acknowledgement that there is currently a shift in emphasis. Recently we have recognised a common central factor in the internal dysfunction of the vessel that precedes and so initiates thrombocyte adhesion.
Jacobs
Peter
P
Division of Clinical Haematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg Academic Hospital, South Africa.
Wood
Lucille
L
Bick
Rodger
R
D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D019851:Thrombophilia / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control
D006710:Homocysteine