New Studies Find Inflammation a Bad Actor
 (HealthDayNews,1/21/04)

Dr. William O'Neill and colleagues monitored 425 adults who had received treatment for chest pain at the William Beaumont Hospital ER in Michigan. The subjects had been chosen for the study based on electro-cardiograms (ECG), cardiac enzyme tests and echocardiograms (heart ultrasound). Patients with healthy aortas or with aortic sclerosis (a narrowing of the aortic valve) were allowed to participate, while those with aortic stenosis (a more advanced narrowing) were excluded. The researchers found that aortic sclerosis is a strong risk factor for a heart attack, but high C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, a history of cardiovascular disease and age are stronger indicators of that risk. Although further studies are necessary to confirm that the inflammation detected by CRP tests contributes to the progression of heart disease rather than just being a result of the condition, scientists suggest that patients with aortic sclerosis be screened for CRP and take steps to reduce the inflammation, as a precaution