New research suggests that higher doses of statin may not always work to prevent diseases of the coronary artery.
Statins have been found to be highly efficient in lowering cholesterol. Usually, a treat-to-target approach, which means treating to a target cholesterol level, is taken with statin therapy.
But according to some experts, a tailored approach using different dosages based on patients” risk for cardiovascular disease could work better for reducing the risk of coronary artery disease. Read the rest of this entry »
Scientists say they have found proof that another “bad” type of cholesterol contributes to heart disease.
Unlike the well-known LDL cholesterol, lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a) cannot be controlled by cutting down on dietary fats or taking a statin drug.
But researchers say high levels do not carry the same risk as LDL.
And other drugs might work to minimise its effects, they told the New England Journal of Medicine. Read the rest of this entry »
A new study has found a derivative of cholesterol is necessary for brain cell formation.
Researchers at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute say tests on mice prove that the formation of dopamine-producing neurons during brain development is dependent on the activation of a specific receptor in the brain by an oxidized form of cholesterol called oxysterol.
Dopamine-producing nerve cells play an important part in many brain functions and processes, from motor skills to reward systems and dependency. They are also the type of cell that die in Parkinson’s disease. Read the rest of this entry »
The particles that ferry cholesterol through the bloodstream are popularly known as “bad” or “good”: bad if they deposit cholesterol on vessel walls, potentially clogging them; good if they carry the cholesterol on to the liver for excretion.
Now scientists have created tiny particles in the laboratory that mimic those good carriers, scooping up the cholesterol before it can grow into dangerous deposits of plaque. The surfaces of these new particles are coated with fats and proteins so they can bind tightly with the sticky cholesterol to transport it through the bloodstream. Read the rest of this entry »
Men who keep their cholesterol levels in check may decrease their chances of developing prostate cancer, in addition to keeping their heart healthy, as science has already shown. In fact, two recent studies indicate that maintaining healthy levels of cholesterol may be a good form of cancer prevention.
In one study, results showed that men who retained healthy levels of cholesterol in the range below 200 actually cut their risk of developing high-risk prostate tumors by more than 50 percent in comparison to men with high ranging cholesterol levels. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by admin | Posted in Cancer | Posted on 06-11-2009
Scientists have found elevated cholesterol levels during midlife substantially increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia.
An international team of researchers from Kaiser Permanente’s Division of Research and the University of Kuopio in Finland analyzed 10,000 individuals over a period of 40 years. Their work suggests those with high cholesterol—defined as 240 milligrams or more per deciliter of blood—were at a 66 percent higher risk for developing Alzheimer’s. Read the rest of this entry »
