Cholesterol News and Research

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Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made in the liver, and found in the blood and in all cells of the body. Cholesterol is important for good health and is needed for making cell walls, tissues, hormones, vitamin D, and bile acid.

Diabetes plays a vital role in regulating brain cholesterol: Research

The brain contains more cholesterol than any other organ in the body, has to produce its own cholesterol and won't function normally if it doesn't churn out enough. Defects in cholesterol metabolism have been linked with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. Now researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center have discovered that diabetes can affect how much cholesterol the brain can make.

1 Dec 2010

Research could lead to new drug treatment for metabolic diseases

A team of Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) scientists report finding a molecular "switch" that can "turn off" some cellular processes that are protective against aging and metabolic diseases. While more research is needed, the findings may open doors for new drug treatments to halt or slow development of metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes or heart disease. The research findings appear in the December 1, 2010 issue of Cell Metabolism.

1 Dec 2010

Vitamin D supplementation may reduce risk of diabetes, heart disease: Research

Researchers from the UC Davis Health System have found that compared with healthy controls, blood levels of vitamin D are significantly reduced in patients in the Sacramento area with metabolic syndrome, a constellation of disease risk factors that affects about one in three U.S. adults and predisposes them to diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

1 Dec 2010

Common sleep complaints predict development of metabolic syndrome: Study

A study in the Dec. 1 issue of the journal SLEEP found that loud snoring and two common insomnia symptoms difficulty falling asleep and unrefreshing sleep each significantly predicted the development of the metabolic syndrome. The study emphasizes the importance of screening for common sleep complaints in routine clinical practice.

1 Dec 2010

First Edition: November 30, 2010

Today's headlines include reports on congressional action on the Medicare doc 'pay fix' as well as results from a new poll related to how the public thinks Medicare should be addressed in the context of deficit reduction.

30 Nov 2010

Amount of vegetables consumed in childhood correlated to arterial stiffness in adulthood

Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables as a child is associated with healthier arteries as an adult. The amount of vegetables consumed in childhood correlated to the amount of arterial stiffness in adulthood. Children who consistently eat lots of fruits and vegetables lower their risk of having stiff arteries in young adulthood, according to research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

30 Nov 2010

Heart disease risk factors in childhood predicts likelihood of atherosclerosis as adults

Measuring heart disease risk factors in children at or after age 9 helped predict the likelihood of atherosclerosis in adulthood, according to a study in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

30 Nov 2010

Resverlogix files new patent for dosing combinations of RVX-208, statin therapeutics

Resverlogix Corp. is pleased to announce today that it has filed additional new patent protection based on novel findings derived from its recently completed ASSERT Phase 2 clinical trial.

30 Nov 2010

Study finds abdominal fat as a risk factor for osteoporosis, bone loss in women

For years, it was believed that obese women were at lower risk for developing osteoporosis, and that excess body fat actually protected against bone loss. However, a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) found that having too much internal abdominal fat may, in fact, have a damaging effect on bone health.

30 Nov 2010

Common, overprescribed drugs lead to election dopiness and immaturity

As Bill Maher, New York Magazine, the Washington Post and countless cable news and Internet sources have pointed out, the 2010 midterm campaigns and elections seem to have brought to light an American electorate capable of shocking illogic, ignorance and even violence.

29 Nov 2010

Amarin reports top-line results from AMR101 Phase 3 trial for treatment of high triglycerides

Amarin Corporation plc, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a focus on cardiovascular disease, today reported positive, statistically significant top-line results from the MARINE study, its first Phase 3 clinical trial of lead drug candidate AMR101.

29 Nov 2010

Children with high BMI have adverse heart disease risk factors at adolescence

Children who have a high body mass index (BMI) between 9 and 12 years of age are more likely to have high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood insulin levels (all risk factors for developing heart disease) by the time they reach adolescence, according to a study published today.

26 Nov 2010

Neptune, Acasti completes preclinical program comparing CaPre with Lovaza

Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc. subsidiary, Acasti Pharma Inc., reports the completion of its preclinical program designed to compare the lipid management effects of Acasti's drug candidate CaPre versus prescription drug Lovaza.

25 Nov 2010

Chronic high fat cholesterol diet may lead to Alzheimer's disease

Research from the Laboratory of Psychiatry and Experimental Alzheimers Research at the Medical University Innsbruck (Austria) demonstrated that chronic high fat cholesterol diet in rats exhibited pathologies similar to Alzheimer's disease. The results were published in Molecular Cellular Neuroscience with lead author Dr. Christian Humpel. The study was co-authored by PhD students, Celine Ullrich and Michael Pirchl, from the same Laboratory.

24 Nov 2010

aAetna announces pilot with MCNT to improve diabetes care

Aetna today announced a pilot with the Medical Clinic of North Texas aimed at improving the care of diabetic patients of Hispanic and African American descent.

23 Nov 2010

Impax initiates challenge of patents relating to WELCHOL

Impax Laboratories, Inc. today confirms that it has initiated a challenge of patents listed by Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. in connection with its WELCHOL® (Colesevelam HCl) for Oral Suspension, 3.75 gm/packet and 1.875 gm/packet.

22 Nov 2010

VYTORIN reduces major vascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease

In a new investigational study of VYTORIN, the cholesterol-lowering medicine from Merck, VYTORIN 10/20 mg reduced the incidence of first major vascular events defined as non-fatal heart attacks or cardiac death, stroke or any revascularization procedure by a highly statistically significant 16.1 percent compared to placebo, Study of Heart and Renal Protection study involved more than 9,000 patients who, on average, had advanced or end-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD)

22 Nov 2010

Phase 3 study of VEGF Trap-Eye regimen meets primary endpoint in patients with wet AMD

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Bayer HealthCare announced that in two parallel Phase 3 studies in patients with the neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD), all regimens of VEGF Trap-Eye (aflibercept ophthalmic solution), including VEGF Trap-Eye dosed every two months, successfully met the primary endpoint compared to the current standard of care, ranibizumab dosed every month.

22 Nov 2010

SHARP study shows cholesterol-lowering effective for patients with kidney disease

Around a quarter of all heart attacks, strokes, and operations to open blocked arteries could be avoided in people with chronic kidney disease by using the combination of ezetimibe and simvastatin to lower blood cholesterol levels. That's the conclusion from the world's largest ever randomized trial in kidney disease.

22 Nov 2010

Vascular Disease Foundation urges diabetic patients to be alert about P.A.D. signs

P.A.D. occurs when arteries in the legs become narrowed or clogged with fatty deposits, reducing blood flow to the legs. This can result in leg muscle pain when walking, disability, amputation, and poor quality of life. Blocked arteries found in people with P.A.D. can be a red flag that other arteries, including those in the heart and brain, may also be blocked - increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

20 Nov 2010