Describe New Cardio-vascular Risk Factors ?

The major risk factors contributing to the development of atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels have been known for many years. However it has now become apparent that this is inadequate since there is a large group of patients who are susceptible to vascular disease despite the fact that they are relatively free of these risk factors. The conventional risk factors help to identify only 60-65 per cent of those at risk of Cardio-vascular events. In around 50 per cent of those not identified by conventional risk factors, the initial Cardio-vascular manifestation is myocardial infarction or death. Thus, large numbers of presumed 'low-risk' people die of Cardio-vasculru- disease each year. This inadequacy of the major risk factors to identify those at risk has lead to the search for view risk factors and more and more risk factors are being added to the list.

The emerging risk factors can be divided into those that play a role in the pathogenesis and those that can be see11 as surrogate markers for the atherosclerotic process. Table 2.4 shows some of the most important new Cardiovascular risk factors. While these factors may be important in the pathogenesis, their scope in the preventive strategy is at present limited. However further research may put more light on their role and the need for intervention.

1. Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH)
2. Hyperhomocysteinaemia
3. Lipoprotein (a) [(Lp(a)] Excess
4. Increased Fibrinogen and Other Thrombogenic Factors
5. Oxidative Stress
6. Infectious Agents
7. Inflammation