"This finding could lead to targeted drugs that mimic the action of this variant to keep arteries free of plaque and clots.”

Chris Melore reports,

A rare gene variant, which appears much more often among members of the Amish community, may hold the key to preventing heart disease. Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine say having this gene appears to lower a person’s levels of heart-damaging LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol and a blood-clotting protein called fibrinogen.

Previous studies have discovered that certain gene mutations are capable of changing a person’s cholesterol levels. Having too much bad cholesterol can lead to clogged arteries and cardiovascular disease — the leading cause of death worldwide. Researchers say this is the first time scientists have discovered a gene which lowers two different heart disease risk factors.

Read the whole thing here: https://www.studyfinds.org/gene-heart-disease-amish/