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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.

Study reveals underrepresentation of women in cardiovascular clinical trials

Women are substantially underrepresented in clinical trials used to formulate women's guidelines and are affected more than men by low social support after a heart attack, according to two studies in the women-themed issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, a journal of the American Heart Association.

20 Feb 2010

Nutrient-rich California avocados hit grocery stores

California avocado season has arrived, making this delectable fruit readily available at grocery stores throughout the country. March through September marks the California avocado season, so now is the perfect time to incorporate this premium fruit in avocado-centric recipes created by chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger.

19 Feb 2010

Study shows how genes and environmental factors influence common human diseases

A UCLA study reveals how human genes interact with their environment to boost disease risk. Published in the Feb. 18 online edition of the American Journal of Human Genetics, the findings shed light on why the search for specific gene variants linked to human diseases can only partly explain common disorders.

19 Feb 2010

NBCH's annual report: How America's health plans are doing to improve care and control costs for diabetes

Today the National Business Coalition on Health issued its annual report on how America's health plans are doing to improve care and control costs for diabetes. The analysis is based on health plan survey data from NBCH's eValue8™ program, the nation's leading Request for Information (RFI) tool used by employers, coalitions and their purchaser members to set expectations and measure health plan performance.

19 Feb 2010

New report shows dramatic rise in medical technology, pharmaceuticals and healthcare costs

Management of Emerging Healthcare Solutions, Inc. (Pinksheets: EHSI) stated that they were encouraged by a new report that parallels the company’s conclusions about the new potential for business in the current healthcare marketplace.

19 Feb 2010

Study finds nearly a quarter of prescriptions go unfilled

Many people whose doctors start them on medications for conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure may never fill those prescriptions, a new study suggests. Researchers found that among more than 75,000 Massachusetts patients given drug prescriptions over one year, 22 percent of the prescriptions were never filled.

19 Feb 2010

Report examines how medical technology changes state of health care

Federal researchers Wednesday released a report that examines how medical technology is changing the state of health care.

19 Feb 2010

Phase 2 study results: VEGF Trap-Eye improves vision in patients with DME

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Bayer HealthCare AG announced that VEGF Trap-Eye showed positive results in a Phase 2 study in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME).

18 Feb 2010

Gilead Sciences’ “Quad” regimen for HIV exhibits antiretroviral activity comparable to Atripla

Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced Phase II clinical trial results today showing that its investigational fixed-dose single-tablet “Quad” regimen of elvitegravir, GS 9350 (cobicistat) and Truvada® (emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) for the treatment of HIV infection exhibited antiretroviral activity comparable to that of Atripla® (efavirenz 600 mg/ emtricitabine 200 mg/ tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg).

18 Feb 2010

Phase 3b ODIN study of once-daily PREZISTA in HIV-1 adults presented at CROI 2010

In a new study of treatment-experienced HIV-1-infected adults with no PREZISTA® (darunavir) resistance-associated mutations (RAMs), 72 percent of patients in the PREZISTA/ritonavir (r) (800/100 mg) once-daily arm achieved undetectable viral loads (<50 copies/mL) compared with 71 percent of patients in the PREZISTA/r (600/100 mg) twice-daily arm. The study met its primary objective of non-inferiority. These data from the Phase 3b ODIN study were presented today at CROI 2010, the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, in San Francisco.

18 Feb 2010

Healthy immune response depends on TRPV2 protein

If bad bacteria lurk in your system, chances are they will bump into the immune system's protective cells whose job is gobbling germs.

18 Feb 2010

NAMI launches new health education program to promote sound "mind and body" health

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has launched a new health education program to promote sound "mind and body" health practices among individuals who live with serious mental illness.

18 Feb 2010

BG Medicine, Merck collaborate in development of novel biomarker for lipid disorder management

BG Medicine, Inc. today announced that it has entered into a research collaboration with Merck, through a subsidiary, for the development and validation of a novel biomarker with potential application in the management of lipid disorders. BG Medicine will pursue development and validation of an immunoassay and investigate its clinical utility as a biomarker. If successful, BG Medicine plans to complete the development and validation studies and seek regulatory clearance for the test.

18 Feb 2010

Genzyme announces fourth-quarter and full-year 2009 financial results

Genzyme Corp., a diversified, global biotechnology company, today announced fourth-quarter and full year 2009 financial results and provided 2010 guidance that reflects growth across its businesses and a focus on strengthening core areas of the company.

18 Feb 2010

Patients and doctors differ when it comes to daily health activities

When it comes to daily health activities such as diet and exercise, Americans and their doctors may not always see eye to eye.

17 Feb 2010

Study: Multiple genetic markers linked with CVD not associated with improvement in CVD risk prediction

Creation of a genetic risk score comprised of multiple genetic markers associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) was not associated with significant improvement in CVD risk prediction in a study that included more than 19,000 women, according to a study in the February 17 issue of JAMA.

17 Feb 2010

High-fat ketogenic diet safe and effective for controlling childhood seizures

Current and former patients treated with the high-fat ketogenic diet to control multiple, daily and severe seizures can be reassured by the news that not only is the diet effective, but it also appears to have no long-lasting side effects, say scientists at Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

17 Feb 2010

Eat 'heart-healthy' oats to prevent atherosclerosis

Nutritionist Mohsen Meydani, director of the Vascular Biology Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, Mass., led the research on the oat compounds, called avenanthramides. Meydani previously has shown that phenolic antioxidants in oats obstruct the ability of blood cells to stick to artery walls.

16 Feb 2010

Childhood obesity: Strongest predictor of premature death

In a study now being published in The New England Journal of Medicine, Associate Professor Paul Franks of Umeå University in Sweden, in collaboration with researchers in the US, shows how childhood obesity, together with other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, affects premature death.

16 Feb 2010

First Edition: February 16, 2010

Today's health policy headlines cover a range of topics -- from using health savings to reduce the deficit to how tort reform fits into the current health reform negotiations.

16 Feb 2010