Could a robust immune system protect against heart attack? After studying a group of patients with high blood pressure, researchers found those with higher levels of certain antibodies had a lower risk of heart attack - regardless of other risk factors. They suggest a blood test to measure antibody levels could help assess a person's risk of heart attack.
The study, from Imperial College London in the United Kingdom, is published in the journal EbioMedicine. It describes how the team discovered a link between blood levels of Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies and reduced chances of having a heart attack.
Lead investigator Dr. Ramzi Khamis, a consultant cardiologist and clinical research fellow, says:
"Linking a stronger, more robust immune system to protection from heart attacks is a really exciting finding. As well as improving the way we tell who is at the highest risk of a heart attack so that we can give them appropriate treatments, we now have a new avenue to follow in future work."
The study found higher blood levels of an antibody called IgG were linked to lower risk of heart attack in a group of people with high blood pressure. |
Source: medicalnewstoday