Hypercholesterolemia News and Research

RSS

Hypercholesterolemia is a condition characterized by very high levels of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is produced in the body and obtained from foods that come from animals (particularly egg yolks, meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products). The body needs this substance to build cell membranes, make certain hormones, and produce compounds that aid in fat digestion. Too much cholesterol, however, increases a person's risk of developing heart disease.

People with hypercholesterolemia have a high risk of developing a form of heart disease called coronary artery disease. This condition occurs when excess cholesterol in the bloodstream is deposited in the walls of blood vessels, particularly in the arteries that supply blood to the heart (coronary arteries). The abnormal buildup of cholesterol forms clumps (plaque) that narrow and harden artery walls. As the clumps get bigger, they can clog the arteries and restrict the flow of blood to the heart. The buildup of plaque in coronary arteries causes a form of chest pain called angina and greatly increases a person's risk of having a heart attack.

Inherited forms of hypercholesterolemia can also cause health problems related to the buildup of excess cholesterol in other tissues. If cholesterol accumulates in tendons, it causes characteristic growths called tendon xanthomas. These growths most often affect the Achilles tendons and tendons in the hands and fingers. Yellowish cholesterol deposits under the skin of the eyelids are known as xanthelasmata. Cholesterol can also accumulate at the edges of the clear, front surface of the eye (the cornea), leading to a gray-colored ring called an arcus cornealis.

Virtual cardiology follow-ups are a feasible alternative for pediatric cardiac conditions

Health provider follow-ups delivered via computer or smartphone is a feasible alternative to in-person patient follow-ups for some pediatric cardiac conditions, according to the findings of a pilot study presented at the AHA Scientific Sessions this week.

15 Nov 2019

Machine learning algorithm effectively identifies individuals with probable familial hypercholesterolemia

The FH Foundation, a leading research and advocacy organization, announced today that a machine learning algorithm effectively identified individuals with probable familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) for the first time at a national scale through its FIND FH initiative.

21 Oct 2019

Familial hypercholesterolemia patients are vulnerable for future heart and stroke events

Individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) were able to lower their cholesterol under FH specialty care, but many are still not meeting LDL-cholesterol targets, according to the FH Foundation's CASCADE FH® Registry.

17 Sep 2019

LDL cholesterol levels should be lowered as much as possible to prevent cardiovascular risk

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels should be lowered as much as possible to prevent cardiovascular disease, especially in high and very high risk patients.

31 Aug 2019

People experienced more cardiovascular events when unable to obtain their LDL-cholesterol drug

Individuals at high risk for cardiovascular events, including those with familial hypercholesterolemia or atherosclerotic heart disease experienced more heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events when they were unable to obtain their prescribed LDL-cholesterol lowering medication.

24 Jul 2019

Patients have higher risk of heart problems when insurance companies reject their prescriptions

Patients appear to be at higher risk of heart problems or stroke when prescriptions for the newest cholesterol-lowering drugs are rejected by insurance companies or unfilled by patients, according to new research in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal.

23 Jul 2019

Population-scale DNA test could make personalized medicine effective and affordable for all

Estonian citizens could become significantly healthier following the launch of a pioneering nationwide DNA testing program.

29 Jun 2019

Replacing a small amount of red meat with healthier foods may improve life expectancy

A new large-scale review of data on red meat consumption and mortality suggests that increasing intake of red and processed meats reduces life expectancy.

13 Jun 2019

Polygenic risk scores based on entire genome sequence may reliably predict heart disease

Specialized risk scores derived from testing that calculates the cumulative effect of an individual's entire DNA sequence, the genome, may reliably predict heart disease in people who have not yet had a heart attack, according to new research in Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine, an American Heart Association journal.

11 Jun 2019

Gender differences in manifestation of diseases lead to poorer diagnosis and treatment in women

The work, published by the Esteve Foundation, reveals that gender differences in the manifestation of the diseases result in poorer diagnosis and treatment for women.

11 Jun 2019

Blood donations could hold clues to dangerous genetic cholesterol condition

What if your blood donation held clues to a dangerous genetic cholesterol condition that could also affect the health of your loved ones?

23 May 2019

Researchers evaluate risk factors and outcomes for young adults with familial hypercholesterolemia

Heart attacks among adults younger than 50 years of age are on the rise. In fact, the proportion of very young people has been increasing, rising by 2 percent each year for the last 10 years, according to a team of investigators a Brigham and Women's Hospital who are focused on studying heart attacks among young adults.

22 May 2019

Statins provide no benefit for 50 percent of patients, say researchers

Millions of patients do not benefit from taking statins and fail to achieve a cholesterol level low enough to reduce their risk of heart or stroke, report researchers.

16 Apr 2019

Pregnancy history may be linked to cognitive function in older women, finds study

Healthy cognitive aging is a public health priority, especially as the US population grows older. Until now, not much has been known about the link between pregnancy history and cognitive function in older women. A new study finds that there does not appear to be a link.

20 Mar 2019

A new option for reducing LDL cholesterol in patients at high risk for heart attack, stroke

Patients at high risk for a heart attack or stroke who took an investigational drug in addition to a statin had significantly lower LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, after 12 weeks compared to similar patients who took a placebo in addition to statin therapy, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 68thAnnual Scientific Session.

19 Mar 2019

Success for new cholesterol-lowering drug

A new, oral drug that effectively lowers LDL or "bad" cholesterol, looks set for clinical approval.

14 Mar 2019

Study finds low rates of lipid screening among women of childbearing age

Eight out of 10 women of childbearing age have never had their cholesterol levels checked, despite clear guidelines to get a first lipid blood test early in adulthood, according to research being presented at the American College of Cardiology's 68th Annual Scientific Session.

7 Mar 2019

Obesity and severe obesity added as risk factors for premature heart disease in children

Obesity and severe obesity in childhood and adolescence have been added to the list of conditions that put children and teens at increased risk for premature heart disease, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association published in the Association's journal Circulation.

25 Feb 2019

Researchers show how mechanical stress affects bone development

Researchers at Okayama University show how mechanical stress at very early stages of bone development alters expression pattern of the non-collagenous matrix responsible for biological property of the bone.

22 Jan 2019

Scientists cast new light on function of long-mysterious PCSK9 mutation

High levels of low-density lipoproteins, parcels of lipids and protein that carry cholesterol, are a leading risk factor for heart disease. Many cholesterol medications lower LDL, some of them by targeting the protein PCSK9. In the January issue of the Journal of Lipid Research, scientists at the University of California, San Francisco, report on an investigation into why experiments on PCSK9 give different results in a test tube and in liver cells.

2 Jan 2019