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.

Rate of weight gain, not the degree of fatness at any one time, which is the main predictor of future problems

Research published today indicates that the risk of heart disease in adulthood is more strongly related to how quickly children gain weight between the ages of two and eleven than their actual body weight at any particular age. Scientists believe this is linked to differences in insulin processing in later life.

27 Oct 2005

New diabetes trial - largest diet and exercise study of its kind

Doctors from the University of Bristol are looking for volunteers who have recently been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes to take part in the largest diet and exercise study of its kind. The study will be based in local hospitals across the Southwest.

26 Oct 2005

Cholesterol and blood pressure-lowering treatment preventive treatments are less available to the most needy

People living in deprived areas or working in manual occupations are less likely to receive cholesterol and blood pressure-lowering treatment than more affluent people, according to a paper published in the November issue of the British Journal of General Practice.

25 Oct 2005

Cholesterol levels and use of statins are not associated with breast cancer risk

Although some evidence suggests that statins (the most commonly used type of lipid-lowering drugs) may inhibit tumor development and may work in combination with chemotherapy drugs against cancer, studies on the association between the use of statins and breast cancer have had conflicting results

25 Oct 2005

Fair treatment in the workplace associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease

A sense of fair treatment in the workplace was associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease in a large long-term study of British office workers published in the October 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

24 Oct 2005

Testosterone may improve women's sex lives after menopause

The addition of testosterone to hormone therapy in women after menopause enhances their sexual function. However, it may also reduce HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) in women, according to a systematic review of current evidence.

23 Oct 2005

IVF gives women false expectations

Experts are warning that women are risking their chances of having children because they are delaying motherhood on the basis of "false expectations" about the success of IVF treatment.

20 Oct 2005

Expert evaluates orlistat (Xenical)

A 60 mg low-dose version of the prescription weight-loss medication orlistat (marketed by GlaxoSmithKline as Xenical 120 mg) was found to be safe, effective and tolerable in overweight individuals, according to new data presented today at the 2005 Annual Meeting of NAASO, The Obesity Society in Vancouver, British Columbia.

18 Oct 2005

Significant step forward in the genome era

In what promises to be a significant step forward in the genome era, the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) today announced plans to devote a portion of its large-scale sequencing capacity to efforts aimed at identifying the genetic roots of specific diseases that have long eluded gene hunters.

17 Oct 2005

New glaucoma risk calculator

High eye pressure is the leading risk factor for glaucoma, and is the only modifiable one. If glaucoma is untreated, vision loss may continue, leading to blindness in some individuals.

17 Oct 2005

Ethnic differences in cardiovascular risk factors

Heredity plays a major role in determining the blood lipid profile and heart rate variability of blacks and whites, two major risk factors for coronary artery disease, researchers say.

16 Oct 2005

Erectile dysfunction may be a sign that coronary artery disease is developing

"We think that erectile dysfunction represents the 'tip of the iceberg' of a systemic vascular disorder; thus potentially preceding severe cardiovascular events. Erectile dysfunction should be part of a cardiovascular risk assessment.

11 Oct 2005

New hormone discovery has implications for liver diseases

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered that the small intestine communicates with the liver to control the production of bile acids - a finding that has great medical implications in treating people at risk for certain types of liver disease.

11 Oct 2005

Newly discovered hormone plays an important role in the digestion of fat, cholesterol, and fat-soluble vitamins

A newly discovered hormone plays an important role in the digestion of fat, cholesterol, and fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, E, and D, according to a new study in the October 2005 issue of Cell Metabolism.

11 Oct 2005

Very low LDL cholesterol levels appear to be safe for heart patients on statin therapies

"There was no apparent safety concern for patients whose resultant LDL on intensive therapy was lower than current guidelines. There was a trend toward improved clinical outcomes in the lowest LDL groups," said Stephen D. Wiviott, M.D., from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

11 Oct 2005

Real-world treatment of patients with acute coronary syndromes

A review of more than 56,000 cases of acute coronary syndromes reveals that older patients are less likely to receive treatment recommended by guidelines, even though they benefit as much or more than younger patients when the recommended treatment is provided, according to a new study in the Oct. 18, 2005, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

11 Oct 2005