Marker of oxidative stress predicts heart disease outcomes
Thursday, November 26, 2009 - 23:14
in Health & Medicine
Researchers have identified a substance in the blood that may be useful in predicting an individual's risk for heart disease. The substance is cystine, an oxidized form of the amino acid cysteine and an indirect measure of oxidative stress. In a study of more than 1,200 people undergoing cardiac imaging because of suspected heart disease, people with high levels of cystine in the blood were twice as likely to have a heart attack or die over the next few years.