The relative kinetics of clotting and lysis provide a biochemical rationale for the correlation between elevated fibrinogen and cardiovascular disease

BACKGROUND: Elevated plasma fibrinogen is a well known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The mechanistic rationale for this is not known. OBJECTIVES: These studies were carried out to determine the fibrinogen concentration dependencies of clotting and lysis times and thereby determine whether these times rationalize the correlation between an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and elevated plasma fibrinogen.