High phosphorus tied to early artery plaques

In healthy young adults, blood levels of phosphorus that fall within the high-normal range may be a risk factor for plaques or "atherosclerosis" in the coronary arteries that feed the heart, findings in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology suggest. Coronary atherosclerosis is a major risk factor for heart attacks. Levels of phosphorus correlate with the presence of atherosclerosis in animal studies and in humans with advanced kidney disease, noted Dr. Robert N. Foley, of the US Renal Data System, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and colleagues. "But whether this relationship exists among individuals with normal kidney function is unknown." - Reuters