Statin News and Research

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Statins are drugs used to lower cholesterol. Your body needs some cholesterol to work properly. But if you have too much in your blood, it can stick to the walls of your arteries, narrowing or even blocking them.

Abacavir linked to increased cardiovascular risk in HIV patients, study finds

CJ Fichtenbaum et al. Abacavir is associated with elevated risk for cardiovascular events in the REPRIEVE trial. International AIDS Conference. Friday, July 26, 2024

23 Jul 2024

Long-term, 30-year CVD risk may help inform therapy for stage 1 hypertension

A comparison of two risk prediction tools used to calculate an individual's risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) suggests that the long-term, 30-year risk should be considered in addition to the short-term, 10-year risk to help inform when to begin medication therapy for stage 1 hypertension, or high blood pressure, according to new research published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.

15 Jul 2024

Nonimaging self-report tool effectively predicts coronary atherosclerosis

Researchers assessed whether non-imaging data could be used to identify people with coronary atherosclerosis.

8 Jul 2024

Using real-world data to assess medication-related liver toxicity

The current method for assessing medication-related liver injury is not providing an accurate picture of some medications' toxicity-;or lack thereof-;to the liver, according to a new study led by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

25 Jun 2024

Researchers develop cutting-edge smart bandages for improved wound healing

Chronic wounds, which include diabetic ulcers, surgical wounds, pressure injuries, and other problems, are deadlier than many people realize.

17 Jun 2024

New PREVENT risk equations could reduce statin use by 40%, study finds

If national guidelines are revised to incorporate a new risk equation, about 40% fewer people could meet criteria for cholesterol-lowering statins to prevent heart disease, according to a study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and University of Michigan.

10 Jun 2024

Coronary arterial inflammation linked to high cardiac event risk even without CAD

Researchers in The Lancet highlight coronary arterial inflammation's role in increasing major adverse cardiac events and cardiovascular deaths, irrespective of coronary artery disease presence.

3 Jun 2024

Statins found to prevent chronic inflammation-related cancers by inhibiting interleukin-33

The effects of statins via inhibition of interleukin 33 (IL-33).

3 Jun 2024

Statins may block an inflammation pathway involved in the development of cancer

A new study led by investigators from Mass General Cancer Center, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, reveals that statins-;commonly used cholesterol-lowering drugs-;may block a particular pathway involved in the development of cancer that results from chronic inflammation.

30 May 2024

New joint guideline highlights importance of coordinated care for peripheral artery disease

Timely diagnosis and proper management of peripheral artery disease (PAD), including coordinated care from a multispecialty team, are essential to help prevent amputation and other cardiovascular complications and to allow patients with PAD to live longer lives with better physical function and improved quality of life, according to a new joint guideline published today in the American Heart Association's flagship, peer-reviewed journal Circulation and simultaneously in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

14 May 2024

Amgen plows ahead with costly, highly toxic cancer dosing despite FDA challenge

When doctors began using the drug sotorasib in 2021 with high expectations for its innovative approach to attacking lung cancer, retired medical technician Don Crosslin was an early beneficiary.

7 May 2024

Research reveals undertreatment of women with heart disease

Women with heart disease are less often treated with cholesterol-lowering drugs than men, according to research presented today at ESC Preventive Cardiology 2024, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

25 Apr 2024

Preventive PCI reduces cardiac event risks in patients with high-risk plaque

People with a buildup of fatty atherosclerotic plaque in the heart's arteries considered at risk of rupturing were far less likely to suffer a serious cardiac event if they underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a procedure to open blocked arteries, compared with those who took medications alone but did not undergo PCI, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.

8 Apr 2024

Lerodalcibep reduces LDL cholesterol by over 50% in high-risk patients

Among patients at high or very high risk for a heart attack or stroke, the addition of the investigational drug lerodalcibep to standard cholesterol-lowering medication for one year reduced LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, levels by more than half on average, compared with a placebo.

8 Apr 2024

Statins slightly up diabetes risk but cardiovascular benefits remain, finds study

Statin therapy modestly increases diabetes diagnoses but offers substantial cardiovascular benefits, outweighing the slight rise in glycemia, especially in those near diabetes diagnostic thresholds.

2 Apr 2024

Cardiovascular risk can rise sharply after women go through menopause

Study shows women quickly catch up to men in terms of cardiovascular risk; underscores the need for increased awareness and screening.

2 Apr 2024

Polypills prove effective in reducing cardiovascular disease and mortality

A new study from researchers at Washington University Medical School in St. Louis bolsters previous findings that polypills are beneficial in preventing heart attacks and strokes and reducing deaths among people with cardiovascular risk factors, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

29 Mar 2024

Statins linked to slight diabetes risk but benefits outweigh the concerns

Statin use is associated with a moderate, dose-dependent increase in the risk of new-onset diabetes, particularly in individuals close to the diabetes threshold, yet the cardiovascular benefits of statin therapy remain substantial.

28 Mar 2024

Extreme poverty linked to unexpected high cardiovascular risks

Research uncovers a surprising prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among adults in extreme poverty, challenging assumptions about lower risks due to their lifestyle and diet, and underscores the need for targeted health interventions and policies.

27 Mar 2024

Statins show promise in reducing gum disease inflammation

Could taking statins benefit your mouth in addition to your arteries? A new study conducted in cell cultures showed that cholesterol-lowering drugs help to dampen the inflammation associated with periodontal disease by altering the behavior of macrophages, a type of immune cell.

25 Mar 2024