To elaborate. What physical attribute are these genes passing on that make you more likely to have a heart attack for example?
In: 9
Off the top of my head…
Heart attacks result from a failure of blood flow to cardiac tissue. There are two main causes for this; blockages and breaches. Blockages result from a buildup of cholesterol and other materials in blood vessels, which when dislodged can get stuck and prevent blood flow to the heart. Aneurysms result when an artery tears, bleeding into intercellular space and resulting in a loss of flow downstream.
There are other forms of heart disease, that relate to blockages and breaches to blood supply elsewhere in the body, and these have similar causes.
As such, any genes that affect the elasticity of blood vessels, any genes that regulate how the body uses cholesterol, any genes that regulate the growth of new capillaries around areas of restricted flow, any genes that regulate the efficiency of the lymphatic system (which is important for swelling and pressure in extremities), any genes that affect the strength of the heart muscle itself… there’s a lot of little things that can increase or decrease risk of heart disease.
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