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.

Niacin findings could open up new avenues for drug discovery

Deft molecular detective work at Duke University Medical Center suggests that scientists may soon be able to resurrect niacin as one of the best and cheapest ways to manage cholesterol.

6 Apr 2009

Moderate kidney disease associated with cardiovascular events

Chronic kidney disease patients face a greater risk of cardiovascular events such as stent thrombosis after being treated for heart attacks, even if their kidney disease is moderate, according to researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

6 Apr 2009

Study looks at long-term benefits of the Wingspan stent

Rush University Medical Center is participating in a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study to determine the best course of treatment to reduce the risk of stroke patients suffering another stroke.

2 Apr 2009

What makes olive oil so healthy?

Scientists have pinned down the constituent of olive oil that gives greatest protection from heart attack and stroke.

1 Apr 2009

House subcommittee to conduct hearing to discuss strategies to end agreements between brand-name, generic drugmakers, limit number of plans

A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Tuesday is scheduled to conduct a hearing on the issue of ending agreements under which brand-name pharmaceutical companies pay generic drugmakers to delay the launch of less costly versions of top-selling medications, the Wall Street Journal reports.

31 Mar 2009

Schizophrenics at increased risk for type 2 diabetes

People with schizophrenia are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes, Medical College of Georgia researchers have found.

30 Mar 2009

In lab supplements of lipoic acid lower triglyceride levels

Studies done with laboratory rats suggest that supplementation of their diet with lipoic acid had a significant effect in lowering triglycerides, which along with cholesterol levels and blood pressure are one of the key risk factors in cardiovascular disease.

30 Mar 2009

FDA approves Afinitor oral tablets (everolimus) for advanced form of kidney cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Afinitor oral tablets (everolimus) for the treatment of patients with advanced kidney cancer whose disease has progressed after treatment with other cancer therapies.

30 Mar 2009

Gene scan shows body's sleep cycle influences numerous physical functions

The pineal gland - integral to setting the body's sleep and wake cycles - may be involved in a broad range of bodily functions, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.

30 Mar 2009

Drug-coated stents lower risk of heart attack and death

Heart disease patients 65 and older who receive stents coated with medicine to prevent blockages are more likely to survive and less likely to suffer a heart attack than people fitted with stents not coated with medication, according to a new study supported by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the American College of Cardiology's National Cardiovascular Data Registry.

30 Mar 2009

NTRILIPIX (fenofibric acid) in combo with Rosuvastatin calcium shows improvement on key lipids for cholesterol management

Data from a new study showed that Abbott's TRILIPIX (fenofibric acid) delayed-release capsules in combination with rosuvastatin calcium met all of the study's primary endpoints.

29 Mar 2009

Dapagliflozin trial results indicate improvement in key glycemic measures in treatment-naive type 2 diabetes

Findings published in Diabetes Care from a 12-week, Phase IIb dose-ranging study showed that dapagliflozin, a novel, selective, sodium glucose co-transporter2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, produced clinically meaningful reductions across all key glycemic measures studied [glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and postprandial plasma glucose (PPG)] in treatment-naive type 2 diabetes patients, compared to placebo.

29 Mar 2009

CRESTOR found to reduced CV risk in patients achieving low LDL-C and hsCRP targets in new Jupiter analysis

Results from a new sub-analysis of the JUPITER study show that patients who attained a dual treatment target of LDL-C <70mg/dL and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) <2mg/L with CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) 20mg achieved a greater reduction in cardiovascular events compared to placebo than those who did not (65% vs 36%, p=0.033) among men and women with low to normal cholesterol levels and elevated hsCRP.

29 Mar 2009

CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) shown to significantly reduce risk of venous thromboembolism

A new analysis from the JUPITER study shows that CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) 20mg significantly cut the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) by 43% (p=0.007) compared to placebo among men and women with low to normal cholesterol levels and elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP).

29 Mar 2009