Recent research published on the 13th March 2010 in The Lancet suggests that there is a drug available now to decrease the level of LDL in people who suffer from a very uncommon genetic condition (homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia). This was further reported by Robert Preidt from Age Management Medicine Group.
The name of the new drug is “mipomersen”. It can decrease the level of low-density lipoprotein commonly referred to as LDL (which is bad cholesterol) by approximately 25 percent for people suffering from this rare genetic condition. This was seen in a recent study.
The drug is intended to actually reduce the development of apolipoprotein B, which is the prime structure protein in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. It also facilitates the liver and intestine to remove LDL cholesterol. In simple terms, mipomersen decreases the concentration of LDL cholesterol in the body.
The extremely rare genetic condition is known as homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. According to statistics out of a million only one person will suffer from inherited high cholesterol. This disease is dreadful in the sense that it augments the risk of cardiovascular disease. Moreover, people affliction by do seldom live above 30 years assuming that they do not treat the pathology
Result of the Study
Positive results were seen in the third clinical phase that included a total of 51 patient suffering from homozygous FH. These patients were already consuming a strong dose of statins and other drugs, which are lipid-suppressing drugs. Patients were haphazardly selected to either enter the placebo group or to take 200 milligrams of mipomersen for a period of 26 weeks.
The end-result of the study showed that the group taking mipomersen had their LDL cholesterol levels decreased by 24.7 percent. The placebo group did also experience a positive effect. A decrease of 3.3 percent of LDL cholesterol levels was experienced.
The study proved that mipomersen could effectively help in controlling homozygous FH. According to Frederick Raal from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, the drug does also prove to be effective in treating other types of refractory hypercholesterolemia.
Source: AgeMed.org
Mon, May 3, 2010
Health And Aging