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.

Diabetes and elevated levels of cholesterol linked to cognitive decline in Alzheimer's

A history of diabetes and elevated levels of cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol, are associated with faster cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study from Columbia University Medical Center researchers.

10 Mar 2009

Number of cardiovascular risk factors could determine safety of IVIg treatment

New research out of Wake Forest University School of Medicine identifies the presence of cardiovascular risk factors as an indicator of how likely it is that elderly, hospitalized patients who receive intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatment will have a stroke or heart attack.

5 Mar 2009

Dermatologists caution that severe cases of psoriasis can be associated with other serious medical conditions

On the surface, the thick, red, scaly, itchy plaques of psoriasis - which have been shown to have a significant negative impact on a person's overall quality of life - may not appear to pose a serious health risk for patients. However, a growing body of research suggests that psoriasis patients are at an increased risk of developing serious medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, particularly when their psoriasis is severe.

5 Mar 2009

Number of cardiovascular risk factors could determine safety of intravenous gammaglobulin treatment

5 Mar 2009

New microgel capsules trap omega-3 fatty acids

Nutritionists are nearly unanimous in recommending that Americans should eat significantly more omega-3 fatty acids and consume them in foods, not in vitamin pills.

4 Mar 2009

Diet moderately high in protein may be best for fat loss

Any diet will do? Not if you want to lose fat instead of muscle. Not if you want to lower your triglyceride levels so you'll be less likely to develop diabetes and heart disease. Not if you want to avoid cravings that tempt you to cheat on your diet. And not if you want to keep the weight off long-term.

4 Mar 2009

Best course of treatment to reduce risk of secondary stroke

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.

3 Mar 2009

Doctors endorse vegan and vegetarian diets for healthy pregnancies

Well-planned vegetarian and vegan diets are healthful choices for pregnant women and their children, and vitamin B12 needs can be easily met with fortified foods or any common multivitamin, say doctors and dietitians with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).

2 Mar 2009

Heart-healthy diets that reduce calorie intake promote long-term weight loss

Heart-healthy diets that reduce calorie intake - regardless of differing proportions of fat, protein, or carbohydrate - can help overweight and obese adults achieve and maintain weight loss, according to a study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health, and published Feb. 26, 2009, in the New England Journal of Medicine.

26 Feb 2009

First of kind study looks at relationship between arthritis and heart disease

Arthritis affects more than half of adults with heart disease and appears to be a substantial barrier to utilizing physical activity to help manage their condition, according to a new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

26 Feb 2009

Comparison of popular diets

Many popular diets emphasize either carbohydrate, protein or fat as the best way to lose weight.

25 Feb 2009

New cancer treatment stops aggressive sarcomas

After all standard treatments had failed, a new cancer treatment has stopped the growth of aggressive sarcomas in two recent patients. These results are similar to the new protocol's previous success against several cancers, including melanoma, pancreatic, colon, mesothelioma and other sarcomas.

25 Feb 2009

Researchers examine role of high cholesterol in prostate cancer

Current research suggests that lowering cholesterol may block the growth of prostate tumors.

23 Feb 2009

Statins may lessen brain function

Research by an Iowa State University scientist suggests that cholesterol-reducing drugs known as statins may lessen brain function.

23 Feb 2009

Statins can stimulate cardiac muscle cell regeneration, improve heart function

Statins, used widely to treat elevated cholesterol, have been shown to prevent progression of coronary narrowing and to have other beneficial effects on the heart, such as reducing inflammation, that are independent of cholesterol.

23 Feb 2009

Life-giving technology: Camera pills and ultrasound creating maps of the body

For more than ten years, senior medical officer Ronald Marvik at St. Olav's Hospital in Trondheim has been collaborating with SINTEF scientist Thomas Lango. Together, they have created a new IT-base window on the inside of the body, a window that makes a patient transparent on a screen when a surgeon inserts operating instruments through small openings in the abdominal wall.

23 Feb 2009