I'm Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Health Report.

American researchers have found evidence that a blood proteinlinked to inflammation of the arteries is a cause of heart disease.Two independent studies found that lowering the amount of theprotein in the blood is just as important as lowering badcholesterol to prevent heart attacks.

Until recently, doctors were concerned with lowering the amountof bad cholesterol and raising the amount of good cholesterol in theblood. But new research has shown that levels of C-reactive protein,or C.R.P, also must be reduced in order to prevent heart disease.

Studies during the past ten years have found that a major problemin heart disease is inflammation. Inflammation cannot be easilymeasured. So doctors use blood tests for C.R.P. to measure it.

C-reactive protein is a substance released by the liver. Someexperts say the protein is directly linked to fatty plaque buildupin the arteries leading to the heart. They say the protein causesthe plaque to break up and form blood clots in the arteries, whichcan lead to a heart attack.

Two studies appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. PaulRidker of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston led the main study.Patients in the study already had severe heart disease and weretaking drugs called statins to reduce bad cholesterol levels. Statindrugs also lower levels of C-reactive protein. The researchers foundthat patients who already had lowered cholesterol levels couldreduce their risk of another heart attack by lowering their C.R.P.levels.

The studies showed that even when bad cholesterol levels werenormal, people with lower levels of C.R.P. had slower progression ofheart disease and fewer heart attacks and deaths.

Doctors say statins are not the only way to lower C.R.P. They sayexercise, a healthy diet and stopping smoking also reduce it.

The new findings are only for people who already have heartdisease. A separate study is being done to see if lowering C.R.P canreduce heart attacks in healthy people with normal cholesterollevels, but higher levels of C.R.P. Almost half of all heart attackshappen in people with normal cholesterol levels.

Researchers are hopeful that the new information can lead to newmedicines to prevent and treat heart disease.

This VOA Special English Health Report was written by CynthiaKirk. I'm Gwen Outen.