Another ‘bad’ cholesterol associated with heart disease discovered
December 24th, 2009 - 3:24 pm ICT by ANILondon, Dec 24 (ANI): Scientists at Oxford University have discovered another ‘bad’ type of cholesterol that contributes to heart disease.
Lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a) cannot be controlled by cutting down on dietary fats or taking a statin drug, unlike the well-known LDL cholesterol.
However, researchers say high levels do not carry the same risk as LDL and other drugs might work to minimise its effects.
LDL is considered the aggressive tiger of the cholesterol world, furring the arteries and greatly increasing heart risk.
The research into Lp(a) found that levels of cholesterol appear to depend on our genes.
Study’s lead author Professor Martin Farrall and colleagues used gene-chip technology to scan DNA that they knew from previous studies were potential “hotspots” for heart disease risk. This analysis revealed the two genetic culprits.
Farrall said one in six people carries one or more of the genes for Lp(a).
“The increase in risk to people from high Lp(a) levels is significantly less severe than the risk from high LDL cholesterol levels,” the BBC quoted him as saying.
“So Lp(a) doesn’t trump LDL, which has a larger impact and which we can already control pretty effectively.
“The hope now is that by targeting both we could get even better risk reduction,” he added.
The study has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. (ANI)
- Statin can prevent strokes, besides lowering lipids - Jan 05, 2012
- Novel drug reduces bad cholesterol without statin side effects - Mar 11, 2010
- 'Good' cholesterol drug may help diabetics - Jul 19, 2011
- A jab could lower cholesterol by two-thirds - Nov 15, 2011
- Statins can cut prostate cancer risk - Oct 02, 2011
- Stronger anti-cholestrol drugs can cut heart attack deaths - Nov 09, 2010
- New study raises questions over broader use of statins - Jun 29, 2010
- How chocolates protect against heart disease - Feb 08, 2011
- 'Bad cholesterol' also vital for health - May 06, 2011
- Increasing blood levels of 'good' cholesterol 'cuts heart disease risk' - Nov 18, 2010
- Soy beats milk in cholesterol lowering: Study - Jan 19, 2011
- Banning trans fats from foods would prevent thousands of deaths - Apr 16, 2010
- Routine periodic fasting good for health, heart - Apr 04, 2011
- People with less bad cholesterol level can count on longer life - Jun 08, 2010
- Biomarker can nip hardening of arteries in the bud - Jan 22, 2012
Tags: arteries, bad cholesterol, chip technology, cholesterol, culprits, dec 24, dietary fats, england journal of medicine, gene chip, heart disease, heart disease risk, heart risk, journal of medicine, ldl cholesterol levels, new england journal, new england journal of medicine, oxford university, professor martin, risk reduction, statin drug
