Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) News and Research

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Proteinuria, a long accepted indicator of heart disease risk, has less impact on African-Americans compared to whites

The cardiovascular risk that is associated with proteinuria, or high levels of protein in the urine, a common test used by doctors as an indicator of increased risk for progressive kidney disease, heart attack and stroke, has race-dependent effects, according to a new study by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

12 Jan 2010

Cholesterol expert offers simple resolutions and advice for staying heart healthy in New Year

Family physician and cholesterol expert Michael Cobble, M.D., has some simple resolutions and fun advice for staying heart healthy in the new year. Cobble is a board-certified clinical lipidologist (NLA), certified hypertension specialist (ASH), medical director of the private practice Canyons Medical Center in Sandy, Utah, and Chief Medical Officer at Atherotech, Inc., developer of the VAP Cholesterol Test.

29 Dec 2009

Eli Lilly and Kowa Pharmaceuticals America to co-promote LIVALO in the U.S

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), Kowa Company, Limited, and Kowa's U.S. subsidiary, Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc., today announced that Lilly and Kowa Pharmaceuticals America have entered into a co-promotion agreement in the United States to commercialize LIVALO® (pitavastatin). Lilly and Kowa have also entered into a licensing agreement in Latin America. LIVALO is a statin approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2009 for the treatment of primary hyperlipidemia and mixed dyslipidemia.

24 Dec 2009

Union Bank and AHA announce new sponsorship agreement

Union Bank, N.A., and The American Heart Association (AHA) have announced a four-year agreement to promote the AHA’s Start! movement in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties.

24 Dec 2009

AstraZeneca's CRESTOR receives favorable vote from FDA Advisory Committee

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee (EMDAC) today voted 12 yes, 4 no, and 1 abstention that AstraZeneca has established sufficient benefit to offset the observed risks to support the use of CRESTOR®

16 Dec 2009

Low plasma CETP activity associated with increased risk of heart disease, says study

Although seen as a potential heart disease therapy, raising high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels by inhibiting activity of a transfer protein may not be effective, a new study suggests.

16 Dec 2009

Corporate Health IQ launched by Stratum Benefit Solutions

Stratum Benefit Solutions has launched Corporate Health IQ™, a 360-degree corporate health risk assessment and comprehensive strategy for designing and implementing integrated results-based incentives for corporate health and wellness programs.

15 Dec 2009

Myrrh resin may have cholesterol-lowering properties

Laboratory experiments suggest that the resin of certain trees of the Middle East, known commonly as the "myrrh" of the Christmas story, may have cholesterol-lowering properties.

14 Dec 2009

Patients with elevated CRP and normal LDL levels may benefit from statin therapy

New research shows a long-term benefit in screening people for CRP, a marker for inflammation, even if they have normal levels of bad cholesterol, because of increased long-term risk for heart attack, stroke and death.

14 Dec 2009

Special issue focuses on cardiovascular disease prevention and outcomes

Emerging research on cardiovascular risk factors and treatment effects are helping clinicians gain a better understanding of which patients are most likely to benefit from close monitoring, lifestyle changes and/or additional therapeutic interventions.

14 Dec 2009

Abbott submits SIMCOR sNDA for two new dosage strengths

Abbott has submitted a supplemental new drug application (sNDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for two new dosage strengths of SIMCOR®, a cholesterol medication. SIMCOR is a fixed-dose combination of niacin extended-release and simvastatin.

10 Dec 2009

RemedyMD launches first nationwide Pediatric Diabetes Registry

RemedyMD (www.RemedyMD.com), the leading provider of Disease Registry software, today announced the first nationwide Pediatric Diabetes Registry. The new registry was developed to help clinicians and researchers identify which interventions are most appropriate for specific patient populations.

4 Dec 2009

70% of 350 US physicians will increase the use niacin for patients, says report

Sermo (http://www.sermo.com), the world's largest online physician's community, today announced the results of a new report indicating that 70% of 350 US physician respondents would increase their use of niacin based on results from the ARBITER 6-HALTS trial.

2 Dec 2009

New preventive screening packages for heart disease

HealthYes!®, a leading mobile medical screening provider, is offering several new preventive screenings directly focused on heart disease. The new tests include: a six-lead electrocardiogram (EKG), cholesterol finger-stick, and 10-year Framingham Cardiac Risk Score as well as diabetes and liver function testing.

2 Dec 2009

Review of study presented at American Heart Association Scientific Sessions

Adding the cholesterol drug niacin to a statin improved HDL ("good") cholesterol levels and significantly reduced carotid arterial plaque buildup measured with ultrasound within 8 months, with further improvement seen at the end of the study (14 months).

21 Nov 2009

Obesity: A major contributor to the development of Type 2 diabetes

"Many Americans have a very limited understanding of the basic facts about diabetes, as well as the serious consequences for health that accompany the disease," commented Sue McLaughlin, RD, CDE, President, Health Care & Education, American Diabetes Association, in a media alert. She blames the problem on a combination of factors including denial of the disease and promotion of inaccurate information or myths surrounding diabetes.

21 Nov 2009

Whole genome analysis identifies 43 genetic loci contributing to lipoprotein metabolism

Using highly precise measurements of plasma lipoprotein concentrations determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), researchers led by Daniel Chasman at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA, the Framingham Heart Study in Framingham, and the PROCARDIS consortium in Stockholm, Sweden and Oxford, England performed genetic association analysis across the whole genome among 17,296 women of European ancestry from the Women's Genome Health Study.

21 Nov 2009

High blood pressure: A major risk factor for stroke and heart disease

Today, Jamieson Laboratories, in partnership with the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON), is holding a one day Blood Pressure Blitz in Toronto's underground PATH system in an effort to educate consumers about the number one risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor of heart disease.

20 Nov 2009

Dual niacin-statin therapy improves blood cholesterol levels but does not diminish plaque buildup

The routine prescription of extended-release niacin, a B vitamin (1,500 milligrams daily), in combination with traditional cholesterol-lowering therapy offers no extra benefit in correcting arterial narrowing and diminishing plaque buildup in seniors who already have coronary artery disease, a new vascular imaging study from Johns Hopkins experts shows.

19 Nov 2009

Findings of Merck's anacetrapib phase IIb study presented at the AHA sessions

In a phase IIb study in 589 patients with primary hypercholesterolemia or mixed hyperlipidemia treated with anacetrapib as monotherapy or co-administered with atorvastatin, there were persistent lipid effects in the higher dose arms in both the monotherapy and co-administration treatment groups eight weeks after stopping active therapy with anacetrapib.

18 Nov 2009