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Infection, inflammation and atherosclerotic vascular disease

Abstract:

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in developed countries. The causes of this have a multifactorial character. A substantial proportion of patients with coronary artery disease do not have traditional risk factors and is there that infectious diseases may play a role in these cases, or they may intensify the effect of other risk factors. Viruses or bacteria with a specific tropism for cells of the vascular wall may contribute to the initial vascular injury via direct cytopathic effects or via the induction of genuine immune responses. The association Of CVD and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection is firmly established, but causality is yet to be proven, although, it is known that inflammatory component associated to the presence of chronic infection plays a main role to this process. Several markers of systemic inflammation like C-reactive protein may pbkp_redict future cardiovascular events in apparently healthy subjects as well as in patients with chronic and acute syndromes favoring the therapeutic potential in modifying the atherosclerotic, vasomotor, and thrombotic components of ischaemic heart disease. The link of CVD with other infectious agents or conditions, such as Cytomegalovirus, Helicobacter pylori, Herpes simplex virus and conditions like periodontitis, is more controversial.