VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug 24, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Cholesterol can
affect the flow of the electrical currents that generate the heart beat, causing
cardiac arrhythmias, researchers in Canada and France said.
Scientists had long known cholesterol plays an important role in regulating the
heart's electrical system, but they didn't know how.
University of British Columbia researchers David Fedida and Jodene Eldstrom
along with researchers in Paris found that too much cholesterol can affect the
electrical currents, perhaps causing the heart to start beating out of rhythm or
even stop beating.
In addition, the researchers found reducing the cholesterol normalized the
structures underlying the electrical activity -- promoting a regular heartbeat.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
said the key mechanism by which cholesterol affects cardiac arrhythmias is the
Kv1.5 potassium channel, a protein that facilitates the flow of electrical
charges through heart cells.
Cholesterol blocks the functioning of these proteins while lowering of
cholesterol levels enhances their function, the study said.
URL: www.upi.com
Copyright 2009 by United Press International