Researchers have linked a protein produced by fat cells to poor cardiovascular health in older Americans.
A new study to be published by the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that elevated levels of the protein adiponectin in the bloodstream may lead to an increased risk of heart attack in older adults.
"This study is significant because previous findings have been contradictory, and the present investigation includes the largest number of heart attacks in an elderly group to date," said Dr Jorge Kizer, associate professor of medicine and public health at Weill Cornell Medical College.
The research involved 1,386 participants aged between 65 and 100.
"Our findings make a persuasive case that adiponectin is in fact associated with an increase in heart-disease risk in older persons," Dr Kizer added.
The results suggest that adiponectin from fat cells can be used as a marker of risk in Americans over the age of 65.
Meanwhile, physicians have called for more research to be carried out exploring the relationship between heart disease and sleep apnea.
