Resumen

PADRON N, M del C; COLINA B, VL  y  QUERO G, ZR. La Homocisteína como factor de riesgo en la enfermedad cardiovascular. AVFT [online]. 2005, vol.24, n.1, pp.13-22. ISSN 0798-0264.

Homocysteine (Hcy) it is an sulfurated amino acid that is produced as middleman in the cycle of the methionine. Once in plasm, the Hcy is quickly oxidized. However, Hcy has been found that an elevation of the Hcy (more than 15 nmoles/L), it can be related with genetic causes, nutritional deficiencies, the age, the gender, some pathologies and the use of certain drugs. Mc Cully in 1969, outlined the possible relationship of the hiperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) as a factor of risk of the vascular illness at heart, cerebral and outlying level. From then on, they have been carried out studies at basic and epidemic level to check this hypothesis. They intend diverse mechanisms: oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, decrease of nitric oxide, increases of factors of the clotting and inflammatory, among others. The effect of the HHcy seems to be multifactorial and it would affect the structure of the vascular wall like the system of clotting so much. In conclusion, now that the level of knowledge has been increased the hyperhomocysteinemia is together to an increase in the risk of the vascular illnesses of how, especially of ICC and in spite of the strong evidences that connect the high levels of homocysteine with the coronary events and the mortality.

Palabras clave : Homocysteine; Cardiovascular risk factor.