Study uncovers new genetic links to heart disease

An international team of scientists have carried out a study that reveals a number of new genetic factors that could improve understanding of heart disease.

With funding from the British Heart Foundation (BHF), the team has found 15 new genetic areas that have a definite effect on heart disease risk, bringing the total number known up to 46.

The research also confirmed that another 104 factors are likely to be involved, though this is yet to be proven, with blood lipids and inflammation identified as key areas of importance.

Though these findings will not be enough to develop new genetic tests for predicting the risk of heart disease, they nevertheless add to the overall picture of how these conditions develop.

BHF medical director Professor Peter Weissberg said: "The real value of these results lies in the identification of biological pathways that lead to the development of heart disease. These pathways could be targets for the development of new drug treatments in the future."

Earlier this week, the foundation highlighted data from a University of Cambridge study it helped to fund, showing how beneficial stem cells could be created from routine blood samples in future.