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.

Being mildly overweight benefits ALS patients

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, may be an exception to the rule that being overweight is a health hazard. In a retrospective study of over 400 ALS patients, Massachusetts General Hospital researchers found that those who were mildly obese survived longer than patients who were normal weight, underweight or even overweight.

12 May 2011

Santaris Pharma advances SPC4955 into Phase 1 trial for high cholesterol treatment

Santaris Pharma A/S, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the research and development of mRNA and microRNA targeted therapies, today announced that it has advanced a second drug from its cardiometabolic program, SPC4955 into Phase 1 clinical trials, for the treatment of high cholesterol.

11 May 2011

Scleroderma is an independent determinant for coronary calcification, study suggests

A new study by researchers in Hong Kong suggests that systemic sclerosis is an independent determinant for moderate to severe coronary calcification or atherosclerosis.

11 May 2011

Depressed patients with chronic illnesses less likely to adhere to medications

People who are depressed are less likely to adhere to medications for their chronic health problems than patients who are not depressed, putting them at increased risk of poor health, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

11 May 2011

Research suggests systemic sclerosis is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis

A new study by researchers in Hong Kong suggests that systemic sclerosis is an independent determinant for moderate to severe coronary calcification or atherosclerosis. Conventional cardiovascular risk factors such as age and hypertension predispose patients with systemic sclerosis to plaque build-up in the heart arteries similar to the general population. Details of this study are now available in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

10 May 2011

A large belly as dangerous as smoking a pack of cigarettes daily

Did you know that a large belly carries a risk equivalent for coronary artery disease comparable to smoking a pack of cigarettes daily or having high cholesterol? People with coronary artery disease and expanded waistlines are at more than twice the risk of dying, including those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) in the normal range.

10 May 2011

Gender plays an important role in choosing treatments for clearing clogged arteries

Gender may play an important role when choosing treatment options for clearing dangerously clogged arteries, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health.

10 May 2011

15% strokes occur during sleep making treatment difficult: Study

According to a new study nearly 15 percent of people who have a stroke are not eligible for clot-busting treatment because the stroke happened while they slept. These clot breaking drugs can prevent permanent disability after a stroke - but the treatment must be given within a four-and-a-half-hour window after the stroke symptoms begin say experts. Since people who have a stroke while asleep can't know when it occurred, they can't get the treatment if they slept for more than four and a half hours, explained study author Dr. Jason Mackey at the University of Cincinnati. “They can't get the drug,” he said. “That's a big issue.”

10 May 2011

Painkiller warning for heart patients: Study

According to the latest study, taking some commonly prescribed painkillers for even a short while might increase the risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke. The study also reports that when heart attack survivors took the drugs for as little as a week, it appeared to boost their risk of another heart attack, stroke or sudden death. The results, published in Circulation, a journal of the American Heart Association, surprised even the researchers.

10 May 2011

Preliminary data from ST-DETECT Trial using EGM signals in ICDs presented at SCAI meeting

New data presented today at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions Scientific Sessions are the first to look at the use of highly specialized signals within implantable cardioverter defibrillators to detect restricted blood flow to the heart in high-risk cardiovascular disease patients outside the hospital setting.

9 May 2011

Research roundup: Racial disparities in cancer screening and VA treatment

Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Colorectal Cancer Screening Persisted Despite Expansion Of Medicare's Screening Reimbursement. This study looked at the effect in minority groups of expanded reimbursements by Medicare for colorectal cancer screenings.

7 May 2011

Study examines patient-physician gender concordance in weight-related counseling

A study published in the June 2011 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine examined the association between patient-physician gender concordance and weight-related counseling in obese individuals.

6 May 2011

'Bad cholesterol' needed to gain more muscle mass

The so-called "bad cholesterol" - low-density lipoprotein commonly called LDL - may not be so bad after all, shows a Texas A&M University study that casts new light on the cholesterol debate, particularly among adults who exercise.

6 May 2011

Patent expiries, generic pricing policies may be factors in slow drug spending growth

Although drugs remain an important cost driver in Canada's health system, growth in spending has slowed to its lowest rate in 14 years, according to a new report released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

6 May 2011

Savings projected from 'emerging' generic drugs

But the Federal Trade Commission found an "unprecedented" increase in drug industry deals to delay the availability of these cheaper drugs.

6 May 2011

FDA approves Novartis' Afinitor tablets for pancreatic NET treatment

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration approved Afinitor tablets for the treatment of progressive neuroendocrine tumors of pancreatic origin in patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic disease.

6 May 2011

Statins for all over 55: Study

The latest research findings suggest that when assessing the risk of heart problems, offering statins or drugs that lower cholesterol to all over-55s had the same results as testing for cholesterol or blood pressure problems. The authors have also argued it would be simpler and more cost effective.

5 May 2011

First Edition: May 5, 2011

Kaiser Health News staff writer Jessica Marcy recently spoke with Dan Hawkins, the association's senior vice president, about the future and finances of community health centers and their evolving budgets.

5 May 2011

Breakthrough research offers hope for new obesity treatment

By knocking down the expression of a protein in rat brains known to stimulate eating, Johns Hopkins researchers say they not only reduced the animals' calorie intake and weight, but also transformed their fat into a type that burns off more energy. The finding could lead to better obesity treatments for humans, the scientists report.

4 May 2011

Heart bypass surgery rates fall by 38% between 2001 and 2008: Study

According to latest the U.S. research, the number of heart patients getting bypass surgery fell by 38 percent between 2001 and 2008. This fall reflects several factors, including a decline in smoking rates, which has led to less coronary artery disease, said senior study author Dr. Peter Groeneveld, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

4 May 2011