FH og livslang kolesterolbelastning

CVD caused by atherosclerosis is the main cause of mortality in Norway. The atherosclerotic process is driven by increased cholesterol levels in combination with an enhanced inflammatory response leading to plaque formation, plaque rupture, arterial occlusion, ischemia and cell death. Telomeres are repeated DNA sequences that are located at the end of the chromosomes and function to maintain DNA stability during cellular division and regulate the replicative potential of the cell. Their function is dependent on their length and is lost when they become too short and the extreme shortening of telomeres activates the DNA damage response. Telomere length has therefore been suggested to represent a replicative “clock” for human somatic cells and a marker of biological ageing. It has also been suggested that telomere length could be a marker of the chronic inflammatory burden of an individual. Moroever, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress may impact telomere length. Preliminary data have linked telomere length to clinical FH.