Associations of Thrombotic-Hemostatic Factors with Cardiovascular Disease

ABSTRACT

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality despite identification of major cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and risk reduction via appropriate interventions. During the last years several markers have been studied as potential predictors of CV events. Hemostatic and thrombotic factors such as fibrinogen, homocysteine, factor VII, von Willebrand, tissue plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor - 1, D-dimer and lipoprotein (α) have been found to be closely related to CVD. Many epidemiological studies have indicated that raised levels of these factors are associated with higher incidence of CVD, while some others have yielded conflicting results. As a consequence, it remains obscure whether they contribute to prediction of future CV events on top of conventional risk factors. Although data suggest that most of them are somehow implicated in CVD pathophysiology, it is not clearly defined yet whether treatment of abnormal levels leads to CV risk reduction. As a result measurement and treatment of these factors are justified only in exceptional cases. Further investigation is required in order to conclude whether and which of these factors may claim a position in everyday clinical practice.