Copyright 2009 Medical News Today Latest Statins News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/statins/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Tue, 30 Jun 2009 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155840.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155840.php Researchers from North Carolina State University and Mayo Clinic have developed a computer model that medical doctors can use to determine the best time to begin using statin therapy in diabetes patients to help prevent heart disease and stroke. "The research is significant because patients with diabetes are at high risk for cardiovascular disease and statins are the single most commonly used treatment for patients at risk of heart disease and/or stroke," says Dr. Diabetes Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155083.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155083.php High cholesterol levels are considered to be a risk factor not only for cardiovascular disease including stroke, but also for the development of Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, many cholesterol lowering drugs, including statins, have been developed in recent years. Alzheimer's / Dementia Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155035.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155035.php High cholesterol levels are considered to be a risk factor not only for cardiovascular disease including stroke, but also for the development of Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, many cholesterol lowering drugs, including statins, have been developed in recent years. Alzheimer's / Dementia Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154304.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154304.php Taking popular cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, such as Lipitor® (atorvastatin), does not lower the risk of pneumonia. That's the new finding from a study of more than 3,000 Group Health patients published online on June 16 in advance of the British Medical Journal's June 20 print issue. Statins Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154289.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154289.php Taking popular cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, such as Lipitor® (atorvastatin), does not lower the risk of pneumonia. That's the new finding from a study of more than 3,000 Group Health patients published online on June 16 in advance of the British Medical Journal's June 20 print issue. Statins Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153666.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153666.php BACKGROUND: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the so-called "bad cholesterol" often linked to medical problems like heart disease and clogged arteries. Cells in the liver produce a specific receptor that sticks to LDL and removes it from the blood, lowering cholesterol levels. Statin drugs also reduce LDL cholesterol levels by boosting cells' production of the receptor. Cholesterol Fri, 12 Jun 2009 07:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153479.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153479.php A genetic analysis of data from three studies suggests that genetically elevated levels of lipoprotein(a) are associated with an increased risk of heart attack, according to a study in the June 10 issue of JAMA. Myocardial infarction (MI; heart attack) remains a leading cause of illness and death despite targeting of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by statin therapy. Heart Disease Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153298.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153298.php Abbott and AstraZeneca announced today that they have entered into an agreement for AstraZeneca to co-promote Abbott's TRILIPIX® (fenofibric acid), a medication for use alone or in combination with a statin to treat certain lipid disorders. Under the terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca will obtain the non-exclusive right to co-promote TRILIPIX alongside Abbott in the United States, excluding Puerto Rico. Specific financial terms were not disclosed. Statins Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/152113.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/152113.php A new pill that contains a potent version of the naturally occurring compound lycopene, a carotenoid found in tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables, was launched today as a new approach to the treatment of high blood cholesterol and atherosclerosis. Cholesterol Thu, 28 May 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/151613.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/151613.php Statins, a commonly prescribed class of drugs used by millions worldwide to effectively lower blood cholesterol levels, may actually have a negative impact in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients treated with high daily dosages. A new study by researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University, demonstrates that statin therapy in mice inhibits myelin repair or remyelination in the central nervous system. Statins Sat, 16 May 2009 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150204.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150204.php Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have discovered that a complex network of interactions between drugs and the proteins with which they bind can explain adverse drug effects. Their findings suggest that adverse drug effects might be minimized by using single or multiple drug therapies in order to fine-tune multiple off-target interactions. Statins Wed, 06 May 2009 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149040.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149040.php The commonly used prescription statin drugs may have a protective effect in the prevention of liver cancer and lead to a reduction in the need for gallbladder removals, according to two studies published in Gastroenterology. As millions of Americans use statins each day to help lower their cholesterol and risk of heart disease, researchers are learning of the beneficial effects these drugs may have on gastrointestinal disorders. Statins Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/148108.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/148108.php Beyond lowering cholesterol, statin medications have been found to have numerous other health benefits, including lowering a healthy man's risk of developing advanced prostate cancer, as well as lowering his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. But a new study by researchers at Henry Ford Hospital finds that statins also can lower PSA levels in men with prostate cancer, potentially altering the results of a patient's PSA test and masking his risk for prostate cancer. Statins Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/147620.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/147620.php Statins, drugs widely prescribed to lower cholesterol, may have protective effects on prostate health. This large Mayo Clinic cohort study looked at three different aspects of urological health -- prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction and prostate enlargement. Initial research results are being presented April 25-30, 2009, at the American Urological Association (AUA) meeting in Chicago. Statins Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/147635.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/147635.php Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may reduce inflammation in prostate tumors, possibly hindering cancer growth, according to a study led by investigators in the Duke Prostate Center. "Previous studies have shown that men taking statins seem to have a lower incidence of advanced prostate cancer, but the mechanisms by which statins might be affecting the prostate remained largely unknown," said Lionel Bañez, M.D. Prostate / Prostate Cancer Wed, 22 Apr 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/146945.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/146945.php Breast cancer cells in the laboratory that don't respond to tamoxifen may be producing high amounts of cholesterol in order to provide a kind of shield against the drug, say researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC). They say their study, presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), suggests that currently available statin drugs that reduce cholesterol might be useful in patients with tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer. Breast Cancer Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/146633.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/146633.php Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found that a protein responsible for regulating "bad" cholesterol in the blood works almost exclusively outside cells, providing clues for the development of therapies to block the protein's disruptive actions. "The fact that it works mostly extracellularly provides more opportunities to develop different kinds of therapies," said Dr. Cholesterol Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/146200.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/146200.php This is an update of a Cochrane review first published in 2001. At that stage there was insufficient evidence to recommend statins for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The scope of this review has been expanded to include all forms of dementia. Extract from Implications for Practice There is good evidence that statins given in late life to individuals at risk of vascular disease have no effect in preventing Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Statins Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/146041.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/146041.php An increasing number of studies show that elevated serum cholesterol levels might be part of the cause of Alzheimer disease, but a new review of studies says that, even so, the most successful class of cholesterol-lowering medicines will not stave off the condition. Statins includes medications such as atorvastatin (Lipitor) and pravastatin (Pravachol), which are some of the best-selling drugs in the world. Alzheimer's / Dementia Tue, 07 Apr 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/145293.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/145293.php A study by CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS) published in the April 2009 issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, found that over a two-and-a-half year period ending in June 2007, the use of medications to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes among children increased 15.2%. Pediatrics / Children's Health Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/145219.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/145219.php Diversified Natural Products, Inc. reported results of a new study presented this week at the 58th annual Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology, demonstrating that the addition of HEP-40 (enzymatically hydrolyzed polysaccharide with a molecular weight of 40 kiloDaltons) to statin therapy significantly lowered low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and improved lipid profiles in patients who had not reached target LDL levels. Dr. Cholesterol Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/144792.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/144792.php A follow-up study on the JUPITER* trial has revealed that a key component of the action of statins is reduction of high sensitivity c-reactive protein (hsCRP), a marker of inflammation, as well as reducing levels of bad cholesterol. The findings are published in an Article published Online First and in an upcoming edition of The Lancet. Publication of the Article coincides with the announcement of the findings at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) meeting in Florida, USA. Statins Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/144450.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/144450.php Corgenix Medical Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: CONX) announced that its AspirinWorks Test was used by investigators in The Indian POLYCAP Study (TIPS) to help determine patients' response to aspirin and/or statin therapy. Statins Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/144389.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/144389.php Results from a phase III clinical study published in the latest issue of British Journal of Cardiology showed that patients with primary hypercholesterolaemia or mixed dyslipidaemia) when treated with 2 g 'Tredaptive' (nicotinic acid/ laropiprant) co-administered with simvastatin (pooled across 20 mg or 40 mg doses) (n= 609), experienced reduced LDL-C by nearly 48%, increased HDL-C by nearly 28%, and reduced triglyceride levels by approximately 33% following 12 weeks of treatment. Cardiovascular / Cardiology Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/144365.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/144365.php New data from the AURORA trial, a study in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing chronic haemodialysis, showed that there was no difference between rosuvastatin 10mg and placebo in reducing the combined endpoint of cardiovascular (CV) death, nonfatal stroke, and nonfatal myocardial infarction. During a median follow-up period of 3.8 years, 396 patients in the rosuvastatin group and 408 in the placebo group reached the primary end point (p=0.59). Urology / Nephrology