Nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors

A number of newer, "nontraditional" cardiovascular risk factors have been i dentified based on recent studies of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis an d atherothrombotic cardiovascular events, These include chronic inflammatio n and its markers, such as C-reactive protein; homocysteine; oxidative stre ss or endothelial dysfunction; lipoprotein Lp (a); psychosocial factors, su ch as environmental stress and responsiveness to stress; plasma insulin lev els and markers of insulin resistance; and activation of the renin-angioten sin system, which is in part a function of polymorphisms in genes for compo nents of the system, such as angiotensinogen and the angiotensin II type 1 receptor, The strength of the associations of the newer risk factors with c ardiovascular therapy are currently being tested. This review will briefly discuss evidence that these risk factors are related to cardiovascular dise ase.