[Homocysteine--risk factor or risk indicator?].

Since many patients experience cardiovascular events despite the absence of such classical risk factors as hypertension, high blood lipid levels, diabetes or smoking, the search for the underlying causes of arteriosclerotic vascular disease is continuing. The data accumulated to date are by no means unequivocal. Although the intake of vitamin B6, B12 and folic acid is associated with a decrease in the homocysteine level, more recent studies have failed to detect any significant reduction in the cardiovascular risk of these patients. Consequently, screening for homocysteine would not appear to make good sense at the present time.