Prostacyclin and thromboxane levels of children of parents suffering from early ischemic heart disease.

Offsprings of parents who had acute myocardial infarction before age of 45 years were investigated. The aim of this examination was to obtain information whether the variation in the balance of prostacyclin/thromboxane ratio is a common cardiovascular risk factor in children. In children whose parents have had early myocardial infarction, a significant decrease was shown in 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha level while the thromboxane B2/6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha ratio increased in these children. Plasma tromboxane B2 levels hardly differed from those of the control in that group of children whose one parent and at least one of the grandparents or uncles or aunts suffered from coronary heart disease. Plasma thromboxane concentration was lower in another group of children whose "only" one parent had myocardial infarction. It may be supposed that this is a compensatory mechanism in the offspring of parents suffering from early coronary heart disease.