New Genetic Variant Linked to Increased Risk of Stroke and Heart Attack

A new genetic variant has been identified that, researchers claim, is associated with elevated risk of stroke as well heart attack.

Stroke and heart attack, two different medical problems are known to be the leading causes of death in the U.S. When arteries already blocked by fatty substance become completely blocked by blood clots, a person suffers a stroke or heart attack. Risk factors identified for the conditions include smoking, high blood pressure and high levels of cholesterol.

In a new finding, researchers at the King's College London have successfully identified a gene in platelets that increases the risk of stroke and heart attack in people. The researchers hope that the new finding will help clinicians to correctly identify those at a particularly higher risk of strokes and heart attacks.

The newly-identified genetic link is present due to a variation in protein called 'glycoprotein lla'. The studies conducted earlier, centered on the genetic variant, have been inconsistent. This research is a new meta-analysis of 82 studies including some 50,000 participants.

Albert Ferro, Professor of Cardiovascular Clinical Pharmacology at King's College London, said: "The genetic risk found in stroke and heart attack patients is likely to be caused by over-active platelets. Under normal circumstances, platelets help your body form clots to stop bleeding, but in these patients platelet."

Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. and is one of the major causes of adult disability. Each year, nearly 800,000 Americans have a stroke and in every 4 minute one dies from one on an average.

On evaluation, the researchers found that in the first paper that looked at stroke patients, those carrying PIA 2 genetic variant of glycoprotein IIa was linked to an increased risk of thrombotic stroke, which was equal to a 10-15 percent increased risk, much stronger that those carrying two copies of the gene variant. However, the variant was not linked to haemorrhagic stroke that is caused by bleeding into the brain.

In the second research paper, the same genetic variant had a strong association with increased risk of heart attack. The association was higher in older patients.

"In future it may be possible to reduce the chances of this happening by examining patients for this variant on a blood test, so that if they carry the PlA2 form - and especially if they carry two copies of it - such patients could be identified for a more determined reduction of risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure or high cholesterol," said Ferro.

The study was published in PLOS One.