An article in Medical News Today, published on February 7, 2012 revealed that a genetic variant has just been identified for increasing the risk of Large Artery Ischemic Stroke. Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Large Artery Ischemic Stroke accounts for one third of all strokes. Large Artery Ischemic Stroke is caused by the impairment of blood flow because of a blockage in one or more large arteries supplying blood to the brain.
There is a gene known as HDAC9, which plays a role in muscle tissue and heart development. Researchers have discovered that an alteration in this gene affects a persons risk of having a Large Artery Ischemic Stroke. This genetic variant occurs on about 10 percent of human chromosomes. Those people who carry two copies of the genetic variant (one inherited from each parent), are twice as likely to have a Large Artery Ischemic Stroke than those without any copies of the variant. However, the exact mechanism by which the genetic variant increases the risk of sroke is not yet known. More research is under way to find the mechanism. Once a better understanding of the mechanism is found, new drugs to treat or prevent strokes can be developed. What was found here was a step in the right direction.
I think that this is very exciting news. The fact that stroke is the second leading cause of death in the world is a scary statistic. It is comforting to learn that discoveries have been made that will soon lead to the development of stroke prevention.
No comments:
Post a Comment