Homocysteine. The association with atherosclerotic vascular disease in older persons.

Plasma homocysteine is a risk factor for coronary artery disease, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, extracranial carotid arterial disease, aortic atherosclerosis, deep vein thrombosis, and possibly dementia and Alzheimer's disease in older persons. Randomized trials are in progress investigating whether multivitamin therapy with folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6 to reduce plasma homocysteine levels will reduce the risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease.