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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.

Novel approach to reduce 'bad' lipids in blood circulation

Xian-Cheng Jiang, PhD, professor of cell biology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, has led a study identifying a new approach for lowering "bad" lipids in blood circulation, a critical means to combat devastating cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. The research was published in the online edition of Gastroenterology.

3 Sep 2015

Treatment with life-saving medications increases in IHD but levels still suboptimal

Treatment with life-saving medications has increased over the past ten years in ischaemic heart disease but levels are still suboptimal, according to the first results of the Chronic Ischaemic Cardiovascular Disease (CICD) Pilot Registry presented today at ESC Congress 2015 and published in European Heart Journal.

2 Sep 2015

Preoperative statins linked to reductions in cardiac complications, mortality after noncardiac surgery

Preoperative statins are associated with a 17% reduction in cardiac complications and a 43% reduction in mortality after noncardiac surgery, according to results from the VISION Study presented for the first time today at ESC Congress by Dr Otavio Berwanger, director of the Research Institute HCor, Hospital do Coração (Heart Hospital) in São Paulo, Brazil.

1 Sep 2015

Key modifiable Alzheimer’s risk factors pinpointed

A meta-analysis has identified the key modifiable factors associated with an increased or decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

27 Aug 2015

Amgen to present data on Repatha (evolocumab) and observational studies at ESC Congress 2015

Amgen today announced that it will present six abstracts at the upcoming ESC Congress 2015, organized by the European Society of Cardiology, being held Aug. 29 – Sept. 2 in London.

26 Aug 2015

ADDF establishes Goodes Prize to recognize scientists in Alzheimer's drug discovery research

Thanks to the generosity of former Warner-Lambert CEO and Chairman Melvin R. Goodes and his family, the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation has established the only prize specifically recognizing scientists in Alzheimer's drug discovery research. Mr. Goodes—who has been open about his own Alzheimer's diagnosis—is an honorary member of the ADDF's Board of Governors.

13 Aug 2015

New study explains why statins are more beneficial than others in some cases

Statins' success in reducing atherosclerosis-related events has elevated the medications to wonder-drug status, with some researchers advocating for their wider use as a preemptive therapy for cardiovascular disease.

13 Aug 2015

Johns Hopkins and Mayo Clinic cardiologists suggest upgrades to controversial heart disease prevention guidelines

Acknowledging key strengths and "lessons learned," preventive cardiologists from Johns Hopkins and Mayo Clinic have developed a short list of suggested upgrades to the controversial heart disease prevention guidelines issued jointly in 2013 by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology.

12 Aug 2015

Necrotising autoimmune myopathy requires early, aggressive treatment

Researchers call for the prompt recognition of necrotising autoimmune myopathy and aggressive early treatment with a combination of intravenous immune globulin, corticosteroids and a steroid-sparing agent for 3 months.

27 Jul 2015

FDA approves Praluent (alirocumab) Injection for treatment of patients with high LDL cholesterol

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Sanofi today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Praluent (alirocumab) Injection, the first FDA-approved treatment in a new class of drugs known as PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) inhibitors.

25 Jul 2015

EMA's CHMP recommends approval of Praluent (alirocumab) for use in patients with hypercholesterolemia

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Sanofi today announced that the European Medicine Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has adopted a positive opinion for the marketing authorization of Praluent (alirocumab), recommending its approval for use in certain adult patients with hypercholesterolemia.

24 Jul 2015

New Penn study finds link between graduate medical training and brand name statin prescribing

Physicians in training are twice as likely to order a costly brand-name statin (used to lower blood cholesterol levels) when supervised by senior physicians who prefer those medications in their own practice, according to a new study led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and published online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

24 Jul 2015

Heidelberg University scientists gain new insight into cytotoxic effect of Ebola virus

In the course of basic research in membrane biochemistry scientists at Heidelberg University have gained new insight into the cytotoxic effect of the Ebola virus. Employing biochemical and cell biological methods they have shed light on the molecular relationships between the Ebola glycoprotein and its role in mediating cytotoxicity.

22 Jul 2015

Study examines accuracy, cost-effectiveness of new cholesterol guidelines in identifying increased CVD risk

An examination of the 2013 guidelines for determining statin eligibility, compared to guidelines from 2004, indicates that they are associated with greater accuracy and efficiency in identifying increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and presence of subclinical coronary artery disease, particularly in individuals at intermediate risk, according to a study in the July 14 issue of JAMA.

15 Jul 2015

UCSD researchers report that statins make women aggressive, but men calmer

Statins are a hugely popular drug class used to manage blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Previous studies had raised questions about adverse behavioral changes with statins, such as irritability or violence, but findings with statins have been inconsistent. In the first randomized trial to look at statin effects on behavior, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report that aggressive behavior typically declined among men placed on statins (compared to placebo), but typically increased among women placed on statins.

2 Jul 2015

Synthetic Biologics announces initiation of SYN-010 Phase 2 clinical trial for treatment of IBS-C

Synthetic Biologics, Inc., a clinical-stage company focused on developing therapeutics to protect the microbiome while targeting pathogen-specific diseases, reported the initiation of a Phase 2 clinical trial of its proprietary SYN-010 for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C).

29 Jun 2015

Generic heart disease drugs show promise in patients affected by Ebola virus

Generic medications used frequently in the management of heart disease patients also have the potential to bolster the immune systems of patients with Ebola virus and some other life-threatening illnesses, researchers report this week in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

23 Jun 2015

Statins benefit patients undergoing major lung resection, lower major complications

Statins have been shown to reduce complications from cardiovascular surgery. To determine whether statins might also help those undergoing major lung surgeries, a team at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center conducted a well-designed study that randomized patients to receive either a statin or placebo before and after surgery.

23 Jun 2015

New study predicts outcomes of CV patients using polypill intervention

A new study published in the journal BMJ Open (May 2015) has demonstrated that the improved treatment adherence achievable using a fixed-dose combination polypill (atorvastatin, ramipril and low-dose aspirin) to prevent recurring myocardial infarction, can avoid up to 15% more fatal and non-fatal CV events, conferring potential savings to healthcare systems.

19 Jun 2015

DCRI announces new study to better understand lipid management

At a time when lipid management in the United States is undergoing transition in response to new guideline recommendations and expanding lipid-lowering therapy options, the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) today announced a new study to better understand contemporary lipid management as well as the beliefs and attitudes of patient and providers regarding cholesterol, cardiovascular risk assessment, and options for lipid treatments.

17 Jun 2015