Having age-related macular degeneration (AMD) does not place persons at greater risk of developing a heart attack (myocardial infarctions, MI), according to a new study. Although the cause of AMD remains poorly understood, increasing evidence suggests that it may share similar risk factors and common pathogenic mechanisms with cardiovascular...

Cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, and atherosclerosis seem to play an important role in the development of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Several cross-sectional studies have provided evidence suggesting that choroidal and retinal blood flow is decreased in AMD. The presence of abnormal choroidal circulation...

Five genetic varients previously not associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) have been identified by a new genome-wide association study. Multiple genetic linkage studies provided strong evidence of susceptibility loci for AMD, notably on chromosomes 1q31 and 10q36. Disease-associated variants near CFH (1q31) and in a cluster of...

Large changes in blood pressure do not result in changes in chodoidal blood flow (ChBF) in rats, according to a new study. It has been suggested that changes in choroidal blood flow is a key factor in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Artiosclerosis and blood pressure are suspected to play a role in creating choroidal...

Anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents are strongly associated with the development of large subretinal hemorrhages in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients, according to a new study. Patients with thick submacular hemorrhage complicating AMD typically have a poor visual prognosis. According to retrospective reports, the natural...

Cholesterol-lowering stain drugs do not have a strong protective effect against the developement of advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) among patients with intermediate AMD, according to a new study. Statins (hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) are a class of drugs that, in addition to lowering cholesterol, have...

A new study examining the relationship between the choriocapillaris (CC) and retinal pigment epithelial changes in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) finds that the primary insult in geographic atrophy (GA) appears to be at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), where retinal pigment epithelial atrophy preceeds secondary...

Persons with early AMD have a higher risk of heart disease but not stroke, according to a new research study. Although the cause of AMD remains poorly understood, increasing evidence suggests that it may share similar risk factors and common pathogenic mechanisms with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Both AMD and CVD are linked with various...

A new study finds skin autoflourescence, a measure of overall metabolic stress, is greater in persons with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Tissue advanced glycation end products (AGE) are a measure of cumulative metabolic stress. AGE accumulation within the body results from a combination of hyperglycemia, oxidative/carbonyl stress, and/...

A new study finds evidence of systemic complement activation in patients with recent onset exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It is belived that chronic inflammatory processes play a role in the progression of AMD. The complement system plays an important role in modulating the inflammatory response. Activation of the complement...