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.

VIVUS' Phase 3 studies find Qnexa effective in tackling obesity

VIVUS, Inc. (Nasdaq: VVUS) today announced positive results from two final, phase 3 pivotal 56-week studies, EQUIP (OB-302) and CONQUER (OB-303), evaluating the safety and efficacy of Qnexa(TM), an investigational drug, in more than 3,750 patients across 93 sites. The EQUIP and CONQUER studies met all primary endpoints by demonstrating statistically significant weight loss with all three doses of Qnexa, as compared to placebo.

9 Sep 2009

Prostate cancer treatment options discussed in a study

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) appears to support the theory outlined in earlier studies that men with more advanced forms of prostate cancer don't benefit from a combination of hormone and radiation therapy.

9 Sep 2009

Free pedometers from Humana for spectators at the Utah Championship in Sandy

Have you ever wondered how many steps you take during a round of golf? You can find out for sure — and maybe even win a prize — during the Nationwide Tour’s Utah Championship, thanks to a promotion from Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), the official health benefits company of the PGA TOUR.

9 Sep 2009

Nutrisystem D program helps overweight type 2 diabetic people lose weight

Results from a clinical study conducted at the Temple University School of Medicine and published today in the journal Postgraduate Medicine(1), show that a pre-packaged, portion controlled meal plan helped overweight individuals with type 2 diabetes lose significantly more weight and reduce their A1C test scores (a 90-day measure of blood sugar control) by almost a full point greater than those following a standard hospital-based diabetes support and education program, according to the findings.

9 Sep 2009

Impact Fusion International completes geographic market test of Intact Digest

Impact Fusion International announced today it has successfully completed a limited geographic market test for Intact Digest with several retail vitamin stores re-ordering on a monthly basis.

8 Sep 2009

Chronic pediatric cough linked to reflux and allergies

New research shows that chronic cough in children is most often caused by gastroesophageal reflux and allergies. Researchers from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, evaluated 40 patients aged 5 to 12 years with chronic cough (> 8 weeks in duration) with no obvious cause. Each patient underwent extensive multispecialty testing. Results showed that reflux was the single most commonly associated factor of chronic cough by itself (27.5 percent), followed by allergy (22.5 percent).

8 Sep 2009

Better health system needed to identify and manage childhood obesity

A new study has revealed GPs and pediatricians believe their capacity to effectively identify and manage childhood obesity is limited, due to barriers such as time constraints. 65 per cent of the doctors also perceived a shortfall in public sector dietitians to assist them in managing overweight and obese children, according to the study in Nutrition & Dietetics, published by Wiley-Blackwell.

7 Sep 2009

Increased consumer preference of walnut due to its alpha-linolenic acid content

The 2009 walnut harvest, currently underway in the California Central Valley, is estimated to be 415,000 short tons according to USDA NASS California Field Office estimates, a number which will be confirmed in February 2010. Overall, the California walnut crop has increased by 74% since 2000, though the current estimate is 4.4% lighter than last year's record crop of 434,301 short tons.

5 Sep 2009

Flu vaccinations now available at all 22 Target Clinic locations

Target(R) announces that flu vaccinations are now available at all 22 Target Clinic locations in Minnesota. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends nearly everyone protect themselves against this potentially serious illness.

5 Sep 2009

94-year-old crusader seeks ban on trans fats in the American diet

Fred Kummerow, a 94-year-old University of Illinois veterinary biosciences professor emeritus who still conducts research on the health effects of trans fats in the diet, filed the petition with the FDA last month. The petition is now posted on the FDA Web site, and public comments are invited. (See below for information on viewing the petition and making a comment.)

4 Sep 2009

Reliable and relevant information needed to rein in the costs of federal health-care programs, says study

For economists and policy-makers to understand the true value of the costs and savings of preventive health programs for chronic disease, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) should incorporate long-term clinical outcomes data and look beyond the 10-year window when making cost estimates, says a team of University of Chicago researchers in today's issue of Health Affairs.

3 Sep 2009

Low HDL-cholesterol and high triglycerides linked to increased risk of CHD

Low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and raised triglycerides, affecting millions of patients worldwide, are strongly linked to significantly increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) even in patients who achieve or surpass current low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) targets.

3 Sep 2009

Health Information Resource Center recognizes SHPS, presents nine awards

SHPS, a leading provider of health improvement and health benefits solutions, received nine awards for its healthcare communications in the 2009 National Health Information Awards(SM) program.

3 Sep 2009

American diners prefer meals that offer the most nutrition for the calories

When dining out, 65 percent of Americans prefer to see nutritional information on a restaurant menu over calories alone. As several cities around the country adapt to menu-labeling mandates that require restaurants to post calorie-counts on their menu, it is yet to be determined if it will have the desired impact on consumer behavior and therefore overall public health.

3 Sep 2009

Combination of LIVALO and itraconazole drugs shows no adverse reactions

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2 Sep 2009

Pre-hospitalization strategies will bring down mortality rate of patients with heart disorders

Mortality rate following a heart attack has fallen by more than 50% in Europe over the past 25 years. However, because only minor advances in the medical treatment of AMI are expected over the next decade, it is through organisational changes in the pre-hospital phase that mortality rate will continue this decline to below 5%.

2 Sep 2009

Research reveals that dramatic maternal weight loss prevents obesity in their children

Adolescent and young children of obese mothers who underwent weight-loss surgery prior to pregnancy have been found to have a lower prevalence of obesity and significantly improved cardio-metabolic markers when compared to siblings born before the same obese mothers had weight-loss surgery. This new study has been accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

2 Sep 2009

The biology of apoE and apoE receptors in Alzheimer's disease to be researched under new NIH program

A researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine has been awarded more than $9.8 million to head a five-year National Institute on Aging Program Project Grant.

2 Sep 2009

Polymyositis and dermatomyositis affected patients more prone to cardiovascular diseases

Patients suffering from two serious autoimmune disorders which cause muscular inflammation are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, says a group of Montreal researchers. Dr. Christian A. Pineau and his team at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) have linked muscular inflammation to increased cardiovascular risk for the first time.

2 Sep 2009

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations increased in patients treated with LIVALO

New data presented today showed that in patients treated with LIVALO (pitavastatin), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations increased, and nearly three-fourths of patients attained low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) targets, with results sustained over 52 weeks.

2 Sep 2009