Blood Level of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin in the Course of Acute Myocardial Infarction

INTRODUCTION Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of mortality and a crucial contributor to serious illnesses in people of different ages around the world [1]. CVD is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels [2]. CVDs constitute the leading cause of global mortality and are a major contributor to reduced quality of life [3,4]. The main function of the human heart is to provide oxygenated blood to different body organs. To do so, the heart itself needs to be oxygenated. The heart is supplied with blood via a special network of blood vessels called coronary arteries. If these coronary arteries suffer from any injury or narrowing, the heart will not get enough blood, leading to myocyte hypoxia and ischemia. Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) or Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) often reflects a degree of injury to these coronary arteries by atherosclerosis, plaque rupture, thrombosis, inflammation, and vasoconstriction [5].