Cardiovascular Disease Gene Analyses Complete


Reported September 20, 2007

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Cardiovascular diseases affect more than one-third of the population, killing more than 870,000 Americans annually. Analyses of a genome-wide scan of two generations of participants are now available through a genotype database to help widen the understanding of the diseases.

The analyses allow researchers to examine genetic differences that potentially affect the risk for cardiovascular disease and other disorders. The results come from a project known as the Framingham 100K, based on information from participants of the Framingham Heart Study. The study has been the source of key research findings examining the role of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cigarette smoking and other risk factors in the development of cardiovascular disease.
 

The National Library of Medicine's National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) developed the database. It provides a number of electronic enhancements for viewing and examining the data, like enabling users to drill down for precise details on all associations and allowing the data to be explored in the context of other NCBI genomic resources. The database links to other relevant databases, allowing for a wider understanding of the genetic associations linked to cardiovascular diseases.

"We are excited by the possibilities of genome-wide association studies in uncovering genetic components involved in cardiovascular disease and its risk factors," lead author L. Adrienne Cupples, Ph.D., a professor of biostatistics at Boston University School of Public Health, was quoted as saying.

SOURCE: BMC Medical Genetics, published online Sept. 19, 2007