A Beating Solution…
Last week on Universal
Medicine, our primary focus was on discussing revolutionary past and present
affairs of Medicine. In present time, many new theories are being proposed due
to advances in not only technology, but also our scientific knowledge and
understanding. This week, we will explore a more recent discovery; one that has
the potential to reduce the risk of heart attacks by 50%.
Heart attacks are a major problem, responsible for 7.3 million deaths each year. Clearly then, this is a serious crisis which vitally, must be overcome. In order to devise a solution to this issue, the underlying anatomy combined with the functions of the heart must be understood. Firstly and most simplistically, the heart is the organ that acts as the pump of the circulatory system, transporting blood around the body. In turn then, regulating metabolism by providing oxygen and nutrients to the cells, while simultaneously removing waste products such as carbon dioxide. For this function the heart, itself, needs its own supply of blood to sustain metabolic activity. This blood, containing the oxygen and nutrients, is supplied to the heart via the coronary artery. However, factors such as poor dietary intake and lack of physical exercise can lead to the narrowing of these arteries via the deposition of fats and cholesterol. In turn, these can lead to coronary heart disease and heart attacks.
Recently, an international team headed by cardiologist Professor Heribert Schunkert, of the German Heart Centre at the Technical University of Munich, have found that a particular gene mutation significantly lowers the risk of suffering from a heart attack. Through the analysis of 13,700 distinct genes from a population sample of 200,000 participants, a strong correlation has been acknowledged between the presence of a mutated ANGPTL4 gene and the proportion of triglyceride present in the blood. Triglycerides, along with cholesterol, are a major constituent of fat in the body which can lead to the overall narrowing of the coronary arteries due to continuous deposition. Consequently, it has been suggested that if a medication could neutralise the net function of a normal ANGPTL4 gene, the risk of coronary heart disease would be lowered.
The overall concentration of triglycerides in the blood is regulated by the ANGPTL4 gene – alongside nutrition. This is because the ANGPTL4 gene confines the function of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) enzyme: an enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of triglycerides in the blood. Hence a mutation in this gene leads to an increase in concentration of this LPL enzyme, meaning that the net decomposition of triglycerides is high as well. In turn then, reducing the concentration of the triglycerides as a whole.
Written by Gagandeep Sachdeva
Universal Medicine
Sources:
Heart attacks are a major problem, responsible for 7.3 million deaths each year. Clearly then, this is a serious crisis which vitally, must be overcome. In order to devise a solution to this issue, the underlying anatomy combined with the functions of the heart must be understood. Firstly and most simplistically, the heart is the organ that acts as the pump of the circulatory system, transporting blood around the body. In turn then, regulating metabolism by providing oxygen and nutrients to the cells, while simultaneously removing waste products such as carbon dioxide. For this function the heart, itself, needs its own supply of blood to sustain metabolic activity. This blood, containing the oxygen and nutrients, is supplied to the heart via the coronary artery. However, factors such as poor dietary intake and lack of physical exercise can lead to the narrowing of these arteries via the deposition of fats and cholesterol. In turn, these can lead to coronary heart disease and heart attacks.
Recently, an international team headed by cardiologist Professor Heribert Schunkert, of the German Heart Centre at the Technical University of Munich, have found that a particular gene mutation significantly lowers the risk of suffering from a heart attack. Through the analysis of 13,700 distinct genes from a population sample of 200,000 participants, a strong correlation has been acknowledged between the presence of a mutated ANGPTL4 gene and the proportion of triglyceride present in the blood. Triglycerides, along with cholesterol, are a major constituent of fat in the body which can lead to the overall narrowing of the coronary arteries due to continuous deposition. Consequently, it has been suggested that if a medication could neutralise the net function of a normal ANGPTL4 gene, the risk of coronary heart disease would be lowered.
The overall concentration of triglycerides in the blood is regulated by the ANGPTL4 gene – alongside nutrition. This is because the ANGPTL4 gene confines the function of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) enzyme: an enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of triglycerides in the blood. Hence a mutation in this gene leads to an increase in concentration of this LPL enzyme, meaning that the net decomposition of triglycerides is high as well. In turn then, reducing the concentration of the triglycerides as a whole.
Researchers have already
undergone testing of ANGPTL4 inhibiting antibodies on monkeys and the results
attained so far are positive. Therefore, this has prompted preparations of
antibodies which could result in a similar effect in humans. If conducted
successfully, this could solve a global problem; one that contributes to 13% of
all deaths in the world.
Thank you for taking the
time to read this week’s blog and please feel free to post any comments in
regards to this possible breakthrough. Written by Gagandeep Sachdeva
Universal Medicine
Sources:
Great news for medicine! Heard this before but this explains it very clearly. However, it will need more evidence that it works.
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