[Fibrinogen. Cardiovascular risk factor or marker?].

Unlabelled: Endothelial dysfunction and inflammation play a crucial role in all stages of atherosclerosis, from the beginning, during progression, and, finally, in its highest clinical expression: acute coronary syndromes. In this process, fibrinogen, an acute phase reactant with active participation in endothelial function, thrombosis and inflammation has proved to be an independent variable to cardiovascular risk together with its participation in resistance phenomena to different antithrombotic approaches. The reasons by which fibrinogen is elevated in cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis are, in general, only incompletely understood; but all cells involved in the atherogenetic process are able to produce cytokines, which induce an acute phase reaction that increases fibrinogen levels in plasma.