People whose “bad” cholesterol and risk of future heart disease stay too high despite cholesterol-lowering statin therapy can safely lower it by adding a drug that mimics the action of thyroid hormone. In a report published in the Mar. 11, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Johns Hopkins and Swedish researchers say an experimental drug called eprotirome lowered cholesterol up to 32 percent in those already on statins, an effect equal to that expected from doubling the statin drug doses, without harmful side effects…

The Swedish biotech company Karo Bio (Reuters: KARO.ST) announced the publication of results from a clinical phase II trial evaluating the company’s liver selective thyroid hormone receptor agonist eprotirome and its ability to further reduce serum LDL cholesterol levels in statin-treated patients. The results are published in the March 11, 2010 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). The study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind multi-center trial of three months duration, performed between November 2007 and June 2008…

Simvastatin might help us control our cholesterol, but when it comes to infection, it’s an entirely different story says a new research study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology (http://www.jleukbio.org). In the research report, scientists from Italy show that simvastatin delivers a one-two punch to the immune system. First it impairs the ability of specialized immune cells, called macrophages, to kill pathogens. Then, it enhances production of molecules, called cytokines, which trigger and sustain inflammation…

In a study now being published in The New England Journal of Medicine, Associate Professor Paul Franks of UmeÃ¥ University in Sweden, in collaboration with researchers in the US, shows how childhood obesity, together with other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, affects premature death. The researchers studied 4,857 children from the indigenous Indian population in the US, born between 1945 and 1984. All underwent detailed medical examinations, including measurement of body fat (BMI), cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar…

While many adults consider a chubby baby healthy, too many plump infants grow up to be obese teens, saddling them with Type-2 diabetes, elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure, according to an article published this month in the journal Clinical Pediatrics (published by SAGE). The research suggests that the “tipping point” in obesity often occurs before two years of age, and sometimes as early as three months, when the child is learning how much and what to eat. “I really think this should be a wake up call for doctors,” said principal investigator Dr…

Sure, some delicacies might taste just like chicken, but they usually feel and look much different. Soy meat alternatives, such as the soy burger, have become more popular recently, with increased sales of eight percent from 2007 to 2008. Now, scientists have created a soy substitute for chicken that is much like the real thing. The new soy chicken also has health benefits, including lowering cholesterol and maintaining healthy bones.

Sure, some delicacies might taste just like chicken, but they usually feel and look much different. Soy meat alternatives, such as the soy burger, have become more popular recently, with increased sales of eight percent from 2007 to 2008. Now, scientists at the University of Missouri have created a soy substitute for chicken that is much like the real thing. The new soy chicken also has health benefits, including lowering cholesterol and maintaining healthy bones…

By considering molecular-level events on a broader scale, researchers now have a clearer, if more complicated, picture of how one class of immune cells goes wrong when loaded with cholesterol. The findings reported in the February 3rd issue of Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, show that, when it comes to the development of atherosclerosis and heart disease, it’s not about any one bad actor - it’s about a network gone awry. The new findings also highlight a pretty remarkable thing, Heinecke says: “Despite 30 years of study, we still don’t know how cholesterol causes heart disease…

A just published research experiment on inactive men with high blood pressure shows that just 3 months of soccer practise twice a week causes a significant fall in blood pressure, resting pulse rate, and percentage of body fat, and is more effective than the doctor’s usual advice on healthy diet and exercise. Other parallel experiments on both women and men further demonstrates that a regular game of soccer affects numerous cardiovascular risk factors such as maximal oxygen uptake, heart function, elasticity of the vascular system, blood pressure, cholesterol and fat mass far more than e.g…

Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics has introduced concentrated Cholesterol, the 15th ADVIA® Chemistry reagent in concentrated format. ADVIA Chemistry concentrated reagents offer up to 3060 tests per wedge, whilst still giving identical results to the conventional ADVIA non-concentrated reagents. This increased capacity is of particular benefit to high throughput laboratories, extending processing time and increasing laboratory productivity. Concentrated reagent wedges liberate space on the reagent carousel, allowing laboratories to extend testing repertoire…