Meer homocysteïne in het bloed geeft meer hartproblemen.* 

High blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine may raise an older person's risk of developing heart failure, new study findings suggest. Previous research has linked homocysteine with heart attacks and strokes, but the new report is the first to find that elevated levels may contribute to heart failure. The study, published in an issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, involved almost 2,500 men and women with an average age of 72 who were participating in the ongoing Framingham Heart Study. At the time their blood levels of homocysteine were measured, none of the participants had heart failure or had previously sustained a heart attack. They were then followed for eight years, during which time 156 developed heart failure. Results showed that high homocysteine levels were associated with a risk of heart failure in both men and women. "Individuals who had (blood) homocysteine levels in the top half had about a doubling in risk of heart failure in the eight-year follow-up period than people in the lower half," said study author Dr. Ramachandran Vasan, an associate professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine in Massachusetts. The association between homocysteine and heart failure appeared to be more consistent in women than men, Vasan and colleagues report. Nearly 5 million Americans have congestive heart failure, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). It is a chronic condition in which the heart becomes enlarged and loses its ability to pump blood efficiently. Patients become fatigued and retain fluid, often leading to swelling of the legs and congestion in the lungs that causes shortness of breath. It's not clear precisely how homocysteine might contribute to heart failure, Vasan said, and there may be several mechanisms. "Heart cells are especially susceptible to homocysteine injury."  The AHA does not recommend routine testing of the general population for homocysteine levels, stating that a causal link to cardiovascular problems has not been firmly established. And while there is not strong evidence to suggest that lowering homocysteine levels is beneficial, the group says that people at high risk should be sure to get enough folic acid, from foods such as leafy greens and fortified breakfast cereals, as well as two other B vitamins--6 and 12. These vitamins are known to aid the breakdown of homocysteine in the body. SOURCE: Journal of the American Medical Association 2003;289:1251-1257.

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