Bilirubin: from an unimportant waste product to important myocardial infarction predictor

Czech version

Authors: Jaroslav A. Hubáček ¹; Libor Vítek ^2,3
Authors‘ workplace: Centrum experimentální medicíny IKEM, Praha ¹; IV. interní klinika 1. LF UK a VFN v Praze ²; Ústav lékařské biochemie a laboratorní diagnostiky 1. LF UK a VFN v Praze ³
Published in: Vnitř Lék 2018; 64(12): 1148-1152
Category:

Overview

Bilirubin is the major catabolic product of heme degradation. It has long been regarded as an unimportant waste product. However, within the last twenty-five years, it has been demonstrated to play a very important role in maintaining the body’s redox equilibrium. Disturbances of this equilibrium – increased oxidative stress – are currently considered one of the major risk factors for the development of non-communicable diseases. Although the exact mechanism is not known, a number of human studies have proved a reduced incidence of a number of (especially cardiovascular but also cancer) diseases in individuals with mildly elevated bilirubin concentrations.

Key words:

bilirubin – cardiovascular disease – morbidity – mortality

Sources

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