Article Archive
Overturning the 1%…Bridging the gaps in care
2014 FH Global Summit: 13-14 October, New York, USA: Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is a major clinical challenge for the 21st century. The European Atherosclerosis Society Consensus Panel has already made the case for FH being one of the most common inherited conditions, affecting about one…
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Reducing the burden of Disease and Death from Familial Hypercholesterolemia: A Call to Action
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disease characterized by substantial elevations of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, unrelated to diet or lifestyle. Untreated FH patients have 20 times the risk of developing coronary artery disease, compared to the general population. Estimates indicate that as many as 1…
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BMS-962476
BMS-962476: First in man data
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CVD Prevention
2021: ESC Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34458905/ 2019: ACC/AHA Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30894318/ 2013: ACC/AHA Lifestyle management to prevent CVD…
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Mind the Gap: How can we address the challenges in FH?
2014 FH Global Summit: 13-14 October, New York, USA Screening for FH needs new impetus. Family history and an elevated LDL-C are the two key screening criteria for suspected FH. The obvious role for screening for suspected FH lies with primary care. Insights from the…
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Unmet clinical needs in cholesterol lowering
Recent decades has seen marked improvement in reducing rates of heart disease and stroke (cardiovascular disease), particularly in developed nations.1 High levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), or ‘bad cholesterol’ are considered a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. International guidelines state that reduction of…
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ODYSSEY trials at ESC Congress Hotline
ESC Congress 2014: Lipids Hotline: ODYSSEY TRIALS Prof Alberto Zambon, University of Padua, Italy discusses the four ODYSSEY trials with the PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab presented at ESC Congress Hotline Sunday. Addition of a new investigational agent – Alirocumab – to high doses of statins result…
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Lowering LDL-C : at what level would this impact the benefit vs. risk ratio?
Emeritus Research Professor, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Canada Potent inhibitors of pro-protein convertase-subtilisin-kexin-9 (PCSK9) have the capacity to reduce plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) to unprecedentedly low levels, especially if combined with statins. This discovery raises several important questions; how low should…
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FH
2021: Integrated Guidance for Enhancing the Care of Familial Hypercholesterolaemia in Australia https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33309206/ 2021: Update of the Brazilian Guideline for Familial Hypercholesterolemia https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34709306/ 2019: NICE. Familial hypercholesterolaemia: identification and management https://www.guidelines.co.uk/genetic-conditions/nice-fh-guideline/453843.article 2018: Canadian Cardiovascular Society Position Statement on Familial Hypercholesterolemia: Update 2018 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30527143/ 2017: Guidelines…
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Highlights Report: 2014 FH Global Summit
The FH Global Summit offers a unique opportunity for all players in the healthcare arena, academia, government and patient advocacy groups, to act together to catalyse progress in FH care. Sooner not later: Children are the driver for improving FH care Top of the agenda…
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PCSK9 inhibition
A raised level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Despite success in recent decades in lowering LDL-C with statins and other lipid-lowering drugs, considerable risk remains for future cardiovascular events even in people who are…
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FH detection in primary care: how can we do better?
FH is clearly underdiagnosed and undertreated.1 The question is how to best to address this challenge. FH is one of the most common genetically transmitted conditions, with about 1 in 200-250 people affected.1,2 In the UK, this translates to about 300,000 people affected ; however,…
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Low PCSK9 levels in CKD patients on haemodialysis
Serum PCSK9 levels are decreased in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing haemodialysis, thereby implying that PCSK9 plays a similar important role in regulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in these patients, as in the general population. Abujrad H, Mayne J, Ruzicka M, Cousins…
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Dyslipidaemia management
2021: Lipid Measurements in the Management of Cardiovascular Diseases: NLA Scientific Statement https://www.lipid.org/sites/default/files/files/JACL%201734(3).pdf 2021: Canadian Cardiovascular Society Guidelines for the Management of Dyslipidemia for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33781847/ 2021: Lipid-lowering and anti-thrombotic therapy in patients with peripheral arterial disease—European Atherosclerosis Society/European…
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Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH)
Why is cholesterol important? Cholesterol, with other fats such as triglycerides, plays a vital role in the structure and function of cells. However, too much cholesterol in the blood (hypercholesterolaemia) is a risk factor for early heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Cholesterol is transported…
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FH issues in low to middle income regions
Despite the availability of statins, treatment of familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is a significant issue with a high unmet need in a middle-income country, according to Dr Dirk Blom of Cape Town, South Africa. As a result, new novel therapies are urgently needed.
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Paediatric FH: do you need a genetic diagnosis?
Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is characterised clinically by life-long elevated levels of low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and increased risk of premature cardiovascular disease. FH is predominantly due to mutations in the gene encoding the LDL receptor, and less commonly to mutations in the APOB or PCSK9 genes….
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Bococizumab
March 30, 2014 1183 – Prevention: Familial Hypercholesterolemia, Novel Therapies and CV Risk Efficacy and Safety of Bococizumab (RN316/PF-04950615), a Monoclonal Antibody against Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 in Statin-Treated Hypercholesterolemic Subjects: Results from a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Dose-Ranging Study (NCT: 01592240) Session 1183-129, 9:45 -…
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Does PCSK9 inhibition on top of statin therapy offer the possibility of further reducing plaque burden?
Stephen J Nicholls MBBS PhD South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Australia Technical advances in arterial wall imaging have enabled the visualization of the full burden of atherosclerotic plaque. When applied in serial imaging studies of anatomically matched arterial segments, it…
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The FH enigma: are there other FH-causing genes?
A genetic diagnosis is established in about 80% of patients with FH. The question is what is the genetic basis for FH in the remaining cases. A recent study1 used whole exome sequencing of FH patients negative for LDLR, APOB or PCSK9 mutations, in an…
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