Copyright 2009 Medical News Today Latest Cholesterol News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/cholesterol/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171601.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171601.php Afexa Life Sciences Inc. ("Afexa" or the "Company") (TSX:FXA) maker of COLD-FX announced the launch of a pilot clinical trial of a new formulation, LIP-01 that has shown promise in reducing blood lipids - including cholesterol. Cholesterol can stick to the walls of arteries, causing atherosclerosis or "hardening of the arteries." This, in turn, can ultimately lead to a heart attack or stroke. Cholesterol Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171583.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171583.php Between 1999 and 2006, the prevalence of adults in the U.S. with high levels of LDL cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol, decreased by about one-third, according to a study in the November 18 issue of JAMA. But a high percentage of adults still are not being screened or treated for high cholesterol levels. Cholesterol Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171524.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171524.php Prions are causing fatal and infectious diseases of the nervous system, such as the mad cow disease (BSE), scrapie in sheep or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. Scientists of Helmholtz Zentrum München and Technische Universität München have now succeeded in elucidating another disease mechanism of prion diseases: The prion-infected cell changes its gene expression and produces increased quantities of cholesterol. Prions need this for their propagation. Neurology / Neuroscience Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171467.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171467.php A new study published this week found that the proportion of American adults with high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol fell by around one third between 1999 and 2006, but concluded that too many are still not being screened or treated for the condition. Cholesterol Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171378.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171378.php Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) announced it has submitted pediatric data for Lipitor® (atorvastatin) to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA). Pfizer has also developed a new chewable form of Lipitor, including a pediatric-appropriate 5 mg dose, which is part of this submission. Pediatrics / Children's Health Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171305.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171305.php The dramatic increase in overweight and obesity in adult Americans over the past 20 years has undermined public health success at reducing risk for heart disease, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2009. In a new study, researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1988-2006, representing 8,264 adult men and women, 20 to 85 years old. Heart Disease Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171304.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171304.php An international team of scientists who took CT scans of mummified bodies of people who lived in Egypt up to 3,500 years ago found evidence to suggest that hardening of arteries, a risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, is not a modern disease and may have been quite common among ancient Egyptians of high socioeconomic status. Cardiovascular / Cardiology Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171015.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171015.php Columbia University Medical Center presentED the 2009 Naomi Berrie Awards to a nationally recognized diabetes researcher, and a promising young investigator, for their outstanding achievements in diabetes research. The Award for Outstanding Achievement in Diabetes Research WENT to Richard Nathan Bergman, Ph.D, Professor and Chair of the Department of Physiology & Biophysics at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC). Dr. Diabetes Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170905.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170905.php Nearly one in three adult Americans have triglyceride (trig) levels that are above normal and nearly 34 million have low HDL "good" cholesterol levels. To help increase awareness about the importance of HDL and trigs, Abbott has launched two Web sites: http://www.knowyourhdl.com and http://www.knowyourtrigs.com. Cholesterol Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170897.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170897.php A new study from the University of Warwick has discovered taking too much of the essential mineral selenium in your diet can increase your cholesterol by almost 10%. Selenium is a trace essential mineral with anti-oxidant properties. The body naturally absorbs selenium from foods such as vegetables, meat and seafood. However, when the balance is altered and the body absorbs too much selenium, such as through taking selenium supplements, it can have adverse affects. Cholesterol Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169854.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169854.php Researchers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have for the first time successfully reconstituted in the laboratory the enzyme responsible for producing the blockbuster cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin. The research, published Oct. 23 in the journal Science, could potentially lead to the development of other compounds with similarly beneficial effects. Statins Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169780.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169780.php Men with lower cholesterol are less likely than those with higher levels to develop high-grade prostate cancer - an aggressive form of the disease with a poorer prognosis, according to results of a Johns Hopkins collaborative study. In a prospective study of more than 5,000 U.S. men, epidemiologists say they now have evidence that having lower levels of heart-clogging fat may cut a man's risk of this form of cancer by nearly 60 percent. Prostate / Prostate Cancer Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169774.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169774.php A pair of studies in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, lay to rest the decades-long concern that lower total cholesterol may lead to cancer, and in fact lower cholesterol may reduce the risk of high-grade prostate cancer. Demetrius Albanes, M.D., a senior investigator at the National Cancer Institute, said early studies suggested that low cholesterol could increase the risk of certain types of cancer. Cholesterol Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169822.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169822.php Two new studies from the US published this week negate concerns that have been around since early studies done decades ago suggested that low cholesterol leads to some types of cancer: one in fact affirms that undiagnosed cancer is the likely cause of lower total cholesterol while the other found evidence linking low cholesterol and decreased risk of high-grade prostate cancer among older men. Cholesterol Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169174.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169174.php Besides their tremendous value in treating high cholesterol and lowering the risk of heart disease, statins have also been reported to potentially lower the risks of other diseases, such as dementia. However, a study in the October Journal of Lipid Research finds that similar statin drugs can have profoundly different effects on brain cells - both beneficial and detrimental. Statins Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169038.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169038.php Adding ezetimibe to atorvastatin significantly boosted the attainment of lipid targets as specified by both Canadian and European guidelines in elderly patients aged 65 and older and the combination produced superior results than simply increasing the dose of atorvastatin alone, Dr. Christian Constance told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2009, co-hosted by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Heart Disease Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169043.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169043.php Several new guidelines and position papers offering the most up to date information to ensure that clinicians practice evidence-based medicine were released at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2009 this week. Heart Disease Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168423.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168423.php New Phase III data published in "Current Medical Research and Opinion" highlight that the recommended starting dose of 2 mg of LIVALO (pitavastatin), a novel synthetic statin, was statistically superior to simvastatin at a dose of 20 mg over 12 weeks in reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia and combined dyslipidemia. Statins Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168157.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168157.php A new study shows uninsured American adults with chronic illnesses like diabetes or high cholesterol often go undiagnosed and undertreated, leading to an increased risk of costly, disabling and even lethal complications of their disease. The study, published online in Health Affairs, analyzed data from a recent national survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Diabetes Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166602.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166602.php In a new international partnership, Dr. Randy Nelson, a researcher at Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute, and Dr. Tai E-Shyong, associate professor at Singapore's National University Hospital, National University Health System (NUHS), have teamed up to assess the risk of heart disease in diabetics with greater accuracy. Heart Disease Mon, 05 Oct 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166194.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166194.php A new study by an international team of researchers found that cholesterol is important for the formation of brain cells, and they hope the findings will help scientists cultivate dopamine-producing cells outside the body. Stem Cell Research Sat, 03 Oct 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166119.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166119.php A derivative of cholesterol is necessary for the formation of brain cells, according to a study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet. The results, which are published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, can help scientists to cultivate dopamine-producing cells outside the body. Neurology / Neuroscience Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165630.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165630.php Resverlogix Corp. ("Resverlogix" or the "Company") (TSX:RVX) announced that results from the Company's Phase 1b/2a clinical trial have met and exceeded expectations by successfully concluding the drug, RVX-208, is safe and tolerable. Most importantly RVX-208 has met its primary endpoint to increase the production of plasma ApoA-I, the key cardioprotective protein in high-density lipoprotein (HDL), often referred to as "good" cholesterol. Cholesterol Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165303.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165303.php Since the introduction of statins to treat high cholesterol, the decline in lipid levels experienced by the wealthy has been double that experienced by the poor. While statins are highly effective in reducing cholesterol and improving heart health, their use may have contributed to expanding social disparities in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, according to research by Virginia W. Statins Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/164459.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/164459.php Risk factors for metabolic syndrome, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and elevated blood lipid levels, can increase a person's healthcare costs nearly 1.6-fold, or about $2,000 per year. For each additional risk factor those costs rise an average of 24%, according to an illuminating article in a recent issue of Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The article is available free online at Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness