A Retrospective Study of Homocysteine, Effects in Hypertensive Patients at Risk of Ischemic Stroke

A high level of homocysteine is a risk factor for Neurological Problems and Associated with heart disease. It?s associated with low levels of vitamins B6, B12, and folate, as well as renal disease. Research has shown, however, that getting your homocysteine levels down with vitamins doesn?t reduce your chance of having Neurological Problems and Associated with heart disease. A homocysteine test measures the amount of homocysteine in your blood. Homocysteine is a type of amino acid, a chemical your body uses to make proteins. Normally, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and folic acid break down homocysteine and change it into other substances your body needs. There should be very little homocysteine left in the bloodstream. Hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with atherosclerosis, as it can be seen in inborn errors of methionine metabolism. Likewise, many studies have also reported more modest increases in serum homocysteine levels in other atherosclerotic disorders like cardiovascular disease and all types of stroke with a positive correlation with age. Homocysteine is a thiol containing amino acid known to be associated with various diseases and/or clinical condition including stroke, Alzheimer?s disease, neural tube defects, schizophrenia, renal failure etc. An elevated level of homocysteine has also been implicated as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. In fact, in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients, homocysteine level is a significant predictor of mortality, independent of traditional risk factors. Association of a single amino acid with so many diseases warrants its capacity to alter some basic cellular processes or pathways. Therefore, it has become increasingly important to understand the mechanism involved in homocysteine induced disease pathogenesis. Further investigation of the relationship of homocysteine levels with age, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension, and the role of homocysteine as a risk factor for ischemic stroke should be carried out on a larger scale to prove its accuracy. The benefits of screening for homocysteine levels also need to be studied in the elderly, especially those with diabetes mellitus and hypertension, which can lead to timely prevention of strokes and ischemic heart disease with vitamin B supplements, and other appropriate interventions.