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Article: Research will test theory that infections trigger heart attacks
- Article from:
- The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee, WI)
- Article date:
- April 6, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1999 The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Could taking an antibiotic spare heart patients from future heart
attacks, bypass surgery or even death?
Researchers hope to find out with a federally funded study based
on growing evidence a common bacterial infection may trigger heart
attacks and worsen, perhaps even cause, atherosclerosis narrowing
of the arteries from plaque deposits.
Given that known risk factors for heart disease such as smoking,
high cholesterol and high blood pressure can't account for many
cases, doctors increasingly suspect infectious agents may be partly
to blame for some of the 1.75 million heart attacks, bypass
surgeries and artery-clearing angioplasties in this country each
year.
The prime suspect: a ...