Healthcare Purchasing News
  • Magazine
  • Continuing Education
  • Webinars
  • Whitepapers
  • Videos
  • Events
  • Hall of Fame
  • Advertise
  • Source Guide
  • Subscribe
  • Sourcing & Logistics
  • Sterile Processing
  • Surgical & Critical Care
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • Infection Prevention
  • EVS & Facility Services
  • Healthcare IT
  • Regulatory
  • Topics
    Sourcing & LogisticsSterile ProcessingSurgical & Critical CarePatient SatisfactionInfection PreventionEVS & Facility ServicesHealthcare ITRegulatory
    Resources
    HPN Source GuideContinuing EducationWebinarsWhitepapersVideosEventsHall of FameAdvertiseAd Specs
    User Tools
    SubscribeContact UsAbout UseNewsletterMagazinesPrivacy PolicyTerms & Conditions
    https://www.facebook.com/hpnonline
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/healthcare-purchasing-news/
    https://twitter.com/HPN_Online
    1. Surgical/Critical Care

    Gene discovered that shapes heart attack risk

    April 12, 2023
    Photo 52165069 © Kamila Starzycka | Dreamstime.com
    Dreamstime Xxl 136868076

    University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers have identified a gene that plays a crucial role in determining our risk for heart attacks, deadly aneurysms, coronary artery disease and other dangerous vascular conditions.

    The discovery advances our understanding of the underlying causes of a wide range of serious health conditions, including atherosclerosis – or hardening of the arteries – and moves us closer to new treatments and preventive measures that could help people live longer, healthier lives. 

    "By studying a key regulator present in the vessel wall of the heart, we uncover a collection of molecular interactions that may explain why certain individuals are at greater risk for developing common vascular diseases,” said principal investigator Clint L. Miller of UVA’s Center for Public Health Genomics and departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and Public Health Sciences. “We hope this knowledge will provide opportunities to treat the disease before it leads to life-threatening clinical events.” 

    Lifestyle choices such as smoking, sedentary behavior and a diet heavy in red meat play major roles in the development of vascular diseases such as coronary artery disease, a leading cause of death worldwide. But our genes, the genetic material we inherit from our parents, also shape our risk. Understanding precisely how has been a major challenge for scientists. 

    This is because the subtle changes that take place in our blood vessels over time are extremely complex. In coronary artery disease, for example, scientists have determined that genes that affect our risk can be found at more than 300 locations on our chromosomes. That’s a vast area for scientists to explore. 

    The new discovery from Miller and his collaborators identifies a gene that directs an entire network of genes and processes. In that sense, the gene, FHL5, is like a general deploying troops on the battlefield. That makes it an extremely attractive molecule for scientists seeking to unravel the targetable pathways for new treatments or prognostic tools. 

    To understand how the FHL5 encoded protein functions, Miller and his team evaluated its effect on smooth muscle cells, the cells that form the structure of our arteries. They found that when FHL5 was too active, the cells began to calcify – to accumulate too much calcium. This is a key step in atherosclerosis, the buildup of harmful plaque in the arteries that can lead to heart attacks, strokes and other serious health problems. Further, the excess gene activity contributed to other critical cellular activities related to vascular disease. 

    But FHL5’s role doesn’t stop there. Instead, the researchers report in a new scientific paper, it has a far-reaching effect on other genes and cellular processes that shape the “remodeling” that occurs in our arteries over time. “By mapping the downstream effectors of vascular remodeling, we hope to shed light on preventative mechanisms,” Miller said. “Unbiased genetic studies led us to this specific cofactor. However, studying its regulatory network could explain its link to several vascular diseases.” 

    The identification of this key regulator gives scientists important new insights into the genetic factors that contribute to vascular diseases – and provides an attractive and influential target as they develop new treatments and work to prevent the harmful changes that cause those diseases. 

    “We hope this work serves as template for future studies to investigate the functional consequences of perturbing key regulators in the vessel wall,” Miller said. “Translating this knowledge to the clinic will require ongoing interdisciplinary collaborations, and we look forward to ultimately seeing the impact of these genetic studies.” 

    UVA release

    Latest in Surgical/Critical Care

    Photo 27013405 © Hongqi Zhang (aka Michael Zhang) | Dreamstime.com
    Surgical/Critical Care

    The 3 Pillars to Reduce Healthcare Drug Diversion Among Nurses with Substance Use Disorder

    Deborah Koivula RN, BSN, CARN
    Nov. 20, 2023
    Photo 165865963 © Andrew Norris | Dreamstime.com
    Surgical/Critical Care

    FDA issues letter to healthcare providers about labeling updates for BD surgical mesh products

    Nov. 15, 2023
    Photo 1423201 | Blood © Geopappas | Dreamstime.com
    Surgical/Critical Care

    Different transfusion approaches for helping heart attack patients who develop anemia

    Nov. 13, 2023
    Photo 174063179 © Ian Wilson | Dreamstime.com
    Dreamstime Xxl 174063179
    Surgical/Critical Care

    Medtronic issues notification about stolen, defective video laryngoscopes

    Oct. 27, 2023
    175382420 © Stokkete | Dreamstime.com
    Iv Primary
    Surgical/Critical Care

    Healthcare Industry Needs Infusion of IV Products

    Brenda Silva
    Oct. 27, 2023
    Healthcare Purchasing News
    https://www.facebook.com/hpnonline
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/healthcare-purchasing-news/
    https://twitter.com/HPN_Online
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Do Not Sell or Share
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    © 2023 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
    Endeavor Business Media Logo