New genetic risk score identifies individuals at risk for heart disease who may benefit most from cholesterol-lowering therapies

Coronary artery disease (CAD), or the narrowing of the coronary arteries, is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Atherosclerosis, or the buildup of plaque in the arteries, develops when low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) enters the blood vessel walls through dysfunctional endothelial cells (EC), leading to the formation of plaques. Researchers developed a polygenic risk score that examines genes associated with EC function to identify individuals with higher CAD risk.

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