title: C-reactive protein is a mediator of cardiovascular disease.
abstract: C-reactive protein is postulated to embody an index that can reflect cardiovascular risk and can be used to independently predict major cardiovascular events and mortality. On the other hand, credible experimental data have become available that demonstrate the abundant presence of C-reactive protein in atherosclerotic lesions and, moreover, identify C-reactive protein as an initiator of several pathogenic pathways that can cause atherogenic changes. Consequently, there has been a paradigm shift in which C-reactive protein is no longer regarded as merely an indicator of cardiovascular risk, but increasingly considered a direct partaker in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. These data underscore the need to explore risk-reducing interventions that selectively inhibit C-reactive protein activity as a novel strategy to prevent clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Radjesh J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bisoendial
authors.forename: S Matthijs
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Boekholdt
authors.forename: Menno
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vergeer
authors.forename: Erik S G
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Stroes
authors.forename: John J P
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kastelein
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000502:physiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000502:physiology*; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000473:pathology; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein