2013.03.09 06:28
(an Excerpt): Expert Analysis from the Annual Cardiovascular Conference at Snowmass, Colorado, Cardiology News, Feb 2013
in that all the studies and efforts in the last ten or more years in raising HDL cholesteral by utilizing drugs such as niacin, CETP inhibitors, etc, have miserably failed to demonstrate any efficacy and were doing more harm than saving lives although HDL was raised in an impressive manner in all those studies. Billions of dollars have been spent for these studies. All the experts agree in that the hypothesis of the high HDL's preventing atherosclerosis was wrong. They recommend to the practitioners to stop niacin in their patients. It now appears that the relationship between HDL and atherosclerosis is far more complicated than lipidologists thought. Evidence now suggests that HDL mass may not be as important as HDL function, which can switch between being anti- and pro- atherogenic in a matter of hours. And HDL may not even be playing an active role in cardiovascular risk; a low HDL may be associated with an increase in cardiovascular events simply because it is a marker for other cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity, smoking, and insulin resistance. There has been a sea change in thinking in regard to HDL cholesterol. |
2013.03.09 06:47
2013.03.09 07:30
A Very Good Article To Remember, Sir.
2013.03.10 10:46
Whatever we believe today may no longer be true tomorrow.
We are a bunch of confused intellectuals with wrong and deviated confidence.
We know so little about ourselves.
This could be a good place to leave everything to your favorite God.
2013.03.10 13:07
2013.03.12 10:04
This is an important, new conclusion in regard to HDL.
For many years, many practicing internists would say to their patients
"Because your HDL is high, you don't have to worry about some elevation of LDL cholesterol."
Some 20 years ago it was suggested that the high HDL does not protect the patient from heart attack
when the LDL cholesterol is high. In other words, HDL does not neutralize the LDL.
So we cardiologists have been treating the elevated LDL with statins, etc, even when the patient's
HDL is very high, or regardless of the level of HDL.
If I may give an example, my longtime secretary who lived to be over 90 years of age used to have
HDL over 100 since she was in her 40's. However, she also had elevated LDL and family history of CAD.
When she became 70 years of age, she required CABG and retired and lived to be over 90.
In order words, her super high HDL did not prevent CAD.
All the studies with statins, etc, in the last quarter century have proved only one thing, i.e.
lowering LDL is the only way preventing heart attacks and strokes and atherosclerosis.
Incidentally, there is a drug in phase 2 trial that can lower LDL another 40 to 50 % on top of
what statins lower so that doctors can lower LDL to 40's and 50's relatively easily.
I look forward to this new agent successfully making it through phase 3 so that we doctors
can do more for their patients.