VASCULAR CALCIFICATION: FROM INNOCENT BYSTANDER TO CULPRIT RISK FACTOR

DOI

10.1016/j.artres.2017.10.007How to use a DOI?

Abstract

Vascular calcification was regarded as an innocent bystander in cardiovascular disease. It was considered to be the passive chemical nucleation of calcium and phosphate ions on cellular debris and therefore the end-stage of atherosclerosis. Currently, vascular calcification is understood to be an actively regulated process involving cellular and humoral contributions that may offer targets for diagnosis and intervention. Vascular calcification is clearly associated with poor cardiovascular outcome, and may result in stiffened vessels and unstable lesions that can rupture and cause acute ischaemic events such as acute myocardial infarction and stroke. In atherosclerotic disease research, calcification is commonly used as a measure of atherosclerotic burden. However, recent data suggest that especially microcalcification have destabilising effects on atherosclerotic plaques. Therefore, the development of novel imaging solutions for early detection of initiation events resulting in microcalcification are of utmost importance. Phenotypic switching of VSMCs plays a key role in vascular disease and is a precondition for vascular calcification, possibly via oxidative stress and shedding of extracellular vesicles. The discovery that vitamin K-dependent processes are involved in the inhibition of vascular calcification has further boosted our mechanistic understanding of the vascular calcification process and has opened up novel avenues. Indeed, the current thrombosis treatment using vitamin-K antagonists (VKAs) paradoxically leads to a high risk of calcification. The treatment of vascular calcification and stiffness using vitamin K supplements is currently under investigation.

Open Access

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TY  - JOUR
AU  - Leon J. Schurgers
PY  - 2017
DA  - 2017/12/06
TI  - VASCULAR CALCIFICATION: FROM INNOCENT BYSTANDER TO CULPRIT RISK FACTOR
JO  - Artery Research
SP  - 45
EP  - 45
VL  - 20
IS  - C
SN  - 1876-4401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2017.10.007
DO  - 10.1016/j.artres.2017.10.007
ID  - Schurgers2017
ER  -