Elevated calcium levels raise heart attack risk

Higher calcium levels in the bloodstream determine a person's increased risk of developing coronary artery disease and heart attack, a new study suggests.

Coronary artery disease (CAD), which often results in a heart attack, is the most common cause of death on a global level. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 735,000 people have a heart attack every year in the United States.

The main factors for heart disease identified so far include smoking, high levels of cholesterol, diabetes, and alcohol consumption.

A new study conducted by Dr. Susanna C. Larsson, from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, and her colleagues points to a genetic predisposition to higher calcium levels as a possible factor for CAD and heart attack.

Their findings are published in the current issue of JAMA.

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