Watching Your Cholesterol

Non-stick cookware may boost cholesterol: study

2010-09-06T19:20:22Z

Exposure to chemicals used to make non-stick cookware and which are found in microwave popcorn may raise blood cholesterol levels in children, a study says. Researchers led by Stephanie Frisbee of West Virginia University School of Medicine assessed blood lipid levels in 12,476 children and teens ag...

Non-stick cookware chemicals could boost cholesterol: study

2010-09-06T17:20:13Z

Exposure to chemicals used to make non-stick cookware and which are found in microwave popcorn may raise blood cholesterol levels in children, a study published Monday says. Researchers led by Stephanie Frisbee of West Virginia University School of Medicine assessed blood lipid levels in 12,476 childr...

Study links cholesterol and nonstick coating chemical

2010-09-06T13:20:53Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Chemicals used to make non-stick coatings on cookware and to waterproof fabrics may raise levels of cholesterol in children, U.S. researchers said on Monday. Children in a study with the highest levels of these compounds in their blood had measurably higher levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein, or LDL...

Researchers find 95 genes affecting cholesterol

2010-08-04T15:46:37Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A scan of all the human DNA has turned up 95 genes that affect blood cholesterol, including a few affected by drugs on the market and others that might be the basis of new drugs, researchers said on Wednesday. Their findings demonstrate that regulating cholesterol levels is even more complex than many people knew but also point to some short-cuts to prevent heart disease. The variations they found ac...

Genzyme, Isis say cholesterol drug meets goals

2010-08-25T14:55:52Z

Genzyme and Isis say mipomersen meets goals in 2 late-stage cholesterol studies

Genzyme Corp. and Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Wednesday their cholesterol drug candidate mipomersen proved effective at significantly cutting patients' bad cholesterol levels in two late-stage studies. The companies said mipomersen r...

Safety is key for upcoming Isis cholesterol data

2010-08-03T15:47:05Z

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc will soon release key data from pivotal trials of its experimental cholesterol drug that will be closely parsed for evidence of any safety risks, particularly liver toxicity. The drug, mipomersen, is designed to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol i...

Kids' high cholesterol may drop naturally

2010-07-18T23:30:14Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Very high cholesterol levels in kids may decline over time even without intervention, researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have found. The findings add to an ongoing debate over the importance of high cholesterol in children, and whether choles...

All kids should have cholesterol tests: study

2010-07-11T22:30:17Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Tens of thousands of kids may benefit from cholesterol-lowering medication, but no one would know because screening guidelines exclude too many children, U.S. doctors said Monday. In a report published in the journal Pediatrics, they call for screening of all children, expanding one set of current recommendations that target only those wh...

Pfizer gets EU approval for kids' cholesterol drug

2010-07-06T09:00:46Z

Pfizer gets EU approval for cholesterol blockbuster Lipitor in children with high blood fats

The European Union has approved a new chewable form of cholesterol blockbuster Lipitor for children 10 and up with high levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides, a type of blood fat, Pfizer says. The approval inc...

AstraZeneca shares surge on court victory

2010-08-25T14:51:12Z

Shares in AstraZeneca rose sharply in London Wednesday after the drug company won a U.S. court ruling to protect a patent for its blockbuster cholesterol drug, Crestor. The U.S. District Court...

AstraZeneca wins patent dispute over Crestor

2010-06-29T15:45:38Z

AstraZeneca wins patent dispute over blockbuster cholesterol drug Crestor

AstraZeneca says it won a patent challenge brought against its blockbuster cholesterol drug Crestor by generic drug developers. The U.S. District Court in Delaware ...

Study debates broader use of statins

2010-06-28T17:15:53Z

Researchers said Monday they found no evidence that the cholesterol-reducing drugs known as statins can help extend the life of patients at risk of heart disease. The analysis of 11 studies involving 65,229 people questioned the wider use of statins -- the world's top-selling prescription drugs -- in patients who do not have but could develop heart disease. "There is little debate that, compared with placebo, statin therapy among individuals with established coronary heart disease not on...

Study raises questions over wider use of statins

2010-06-28T13:30:16Z

LONDON (Reuters) - There is no evidence that prescribing cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins to patients at risk of heart disease reduces their chances of premature death in the short term, scientists said on Monday. The results of a study by British researchers call into question the expanded use of statins such as Pfizer's Using statins in people with normal cholesterol divides heart doctors, confuses patients

Should healthy people with low cholesterol take a pill to lower their cholesterol even more in hopes of preventing heart problems? The question is dividing heart doctors and confusing patients. An analysis published Monday questions research that led federal regulators to allow the statin drug Crestor wider use for prevention. The ...

High 'good' cholesterol tied to lower cancer risk

2010-06-14T14:30:42Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - High levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol - a.k.a. "good cholesterol" -- may be linked to lower risks of cancer as well as heart attacks, new research suggests. Dr. Richard Karas of the Molecular Cardiology Research Institut...

FDA warns Pfizer for unreported drug complaints

2010-06-09T15:00:47Z

Pfizer gets FDA warning letter for failing to report drug side-effect reports

Federal regulators have warned Pfizer for failing to promptly report complaints with its drugs that may have involved serious injury. Pfizer repeatedly failed to submit product complaints to the Food and Drug Administration within the required 15 d...

Chocolate may cut cholesterol but only in some people: study

2010-06-01T18:15:07Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Eating chocolate could bring down cholesterol levels -- but only in small amounts and only in some people, according to an analysis of eight studies. Dr. Rutai Hui of the Chinese Academ...

A little chocolate might help cut cholesterol

2010-06-01T13:00:16Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Eating chocolate could bring down cholesterol levels in some people, a new analysis of eight studies shows. But chocolate lovers shouldn't take the news as license to indulge. Chocolate only helped people who already had risk factors for heart disease, and only when consumed in modest amounts, Dr. Rutai Hui of the Reuters) - People using cholesterol-lowering statins have a higher risks of liver dysfunction, kidney failure, muscle weakness and cataracts and such side effects of the drug should be closely tracked, doctors said on Friday. In a study covering more than 2 million people in Britain, researchers from Teva Pharmaceutical says it gets regulatory clearance to market generic Lipitor in Canada

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. said Wednesday that it has gained regulatory approval in Canada to market a generic version of Pfize...

Lipitor generic reaches Canada, Pfizer vows fight

2010-05-19T12:16:29Z

TORONTO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apotex Inc said on Wednesday it would immediately launch in Canada a copycat form of Pfizer Inc's blockbuster Lipitor cholesterol fighter, and Pfizer vow...

New way found to boost good cholesterol in mice

2010-05-13T14:30:41Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Two research teams have found a new way to increase levels of so-called "good" cholesterol in mice, they said on Thursday in a finding that could lead to better ways to prevent heart disease in humans. The researchers discovered that a small scrap of genetic material called a microRNA appears to regulate the production of high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, th...

Merck settles patent dispute on cholesterol drug

2010-08-25T14:39:03Z

Merck says Par and Glenmark can start selling generic version of Zetia in December 2016

Merck & Co. said Monday it settled a patent dispute with Glenmark Pharmaceuticals on the cholesterol drug Zetia, one of its best-selling products. The lawsuit had been schedu...

Going nuts in your diet can cut cholesterol: study

2010-05-10T14:16:19Z

Going nuts in your diet can be good for your health, according to a study published Monday, which showed that eating nuts helps to lower blood cholesterol levels. People who ate an average of 67 grams (2.4 ounces) of nuts a day saw a 5.1 percent fall in total cholesterol concentration and a 7.4 percent drop in low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) -- sometimes referred to as bad cholesterol -- concentration compared to no-nut eaters, the study showed. People with high triglyceride ...

Nuts' anti-cholesterol effects stronger for some

2010-05-10T13:45:19Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Eating plenty of nuts can lead to healthier cholesterol levels, but the benefits seem to be greatest for thinner people, those eating less healthy diets, and people with higher levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, according to a new analysis of published studies of nut consumption and blood fats. Studies in men and women from different countries have shown that "nuts do lower chole...

US seeks more detail on Astra cholesterol drug

2010-03-30T06:15:45Z

US Food and Drug Administration seeks more information on AstraZeneca's cholesterol drug

AstraZeneca PLC and Abbott Laboratories said Tuesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asked for more information about their Certri...

Success Story: The Lydays

2010-03-28T21:15:12Z

Neal & Shelia LydayHometown: Bakersfield, Calif.Age: Neal 46, Sheila 39Weight Before: Neal 240 lbs, Shelia 189 lbsWeight After: Neal 160 lbs, Shelia 135 lbsHeight: Neal 5' 8", Shelia 5' 7" Before After Before getting married in 1997, Neal Lyday never struggled with weight. Growing up, he'd always been lean and athletic. B...

After-school exercise helps overweight girls

2010-03-26T14:46:09Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Two-years of after-school physical activity helped lessen the number of overweight and obese fourth- and fifth-grade girls, but not boys, and led to declines in cholesterol levels in girls and boys, report researchers from Spain. This suggests that Spanish children, who are among the most overweight in the world, generally benefit from supervised physica...

FDA issues warning for high doses of Zocor

2010-03-19T13:00:16Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Patients on the highest approved dose of the cholesterol-lowering drug Zocor may be at increased risk of muscle injury, U.S. regulators warned on Friday. Made by Merck & Co and sold under the brand name Zocor, simvastatin is also is sold in combination with ezetimibe as

FDA warns of greater muscle risk from Zocor

2010-03-19T10:00:12Z

FDA reports higher muscle and kidney damage risk from ingredient in Zocor, Vytorin and Simcor

The Food and Drug Administration said Friday the highest available dose of Zocor, a component in cholesterol drugs, can cause muscle damage as well as sev...

Summary Box: High-dose Lipitor lessens heart risk

2010-03-15T15:15:20Z

NEW LIPITOR DATA: In some heart patients, the highest dose of Lipitor cut risk of heart attack and other complications by a third, compared to the lowest dose. PATIENT POPULATION: Patients in this new data analysis had heart disease, kidney disease and were either obese or had multiple cardiac risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. WHY IT MATTERS: At nearly $13 billion a year, Lipitor now brings in a quarter ...

Adding fat-lowering drug no help for diabetic hearts

2010-03-15T13:16:11Z

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Adding a drug that lowers blood fats known as triglycerides to cholesterol-fighting statins provided no additional protection from heart attack, stroke and death from heart disease in patients with Type 2 diabetes, according to data from a large study. The study run by the ...

No heart benefit seen with fibrates in diabetics

2010-03-14T14:15:32Z

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Adding a triglyceride-lowering drug to cholesterol-fighting statins provided no additional protection from heart attack, stroke and death from heart disease in patients with Type 2 diabetes, according to data from a large study. The study run by the National Institutes of H...

Summary Box: Vytorin sales likely to keep falling

2010-03-12T11:30:23Z

Summary Box: Sales of Merck cholesterol pill will still fall, despite lack of safety problems

VYTORIN STUDY: A safety monitoring board doing a planned interim analysis of a long study of Merck's Vytorin cholesterol pill decided there are no serious safety problems, so the study can continue. ANALYSTS' TAKE: That result was generally expected, and Vytorin sales likely will keep declining because of competition from riva...

Analyst: Merck's Vytorin sales will keep dropping

2010-03-12T11:15:26Z

Sales of Merck & Co.'s blockbuster cholesterol drug Vytorin likely will continue to fall amid rising competition from rival brands and generic versions in the same class of pills, an analyst predicted Friday. Bernstein Research analyst Tim Anderson gave his assessment after the drugm...

U.S. safety panel says big Vytorin study can go on

2010-03-11T15:17:23Z

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Merck & Co on Thursday said an independent data safety monitoring board has approved continuation of a big study meant to determine whether its blockbuster Vytorin cholesterol drug prevents heart attacks and stroke. Merck said a green light for the so-called "IMPROVE-IT" study to continue was given after the panel conducted an interim analysis of sa...

Doctors fail to cut cholesterol enough

2010-03-10T16:30:08Z

LONDON (Reuters) - Only half of patients at high risk of heart disease are given the right targets for cutting their cholesterol and millions may suffer heart attack or stroke due to doctors' poor advice, scientists said on Thursday. German researchers said that over 10 years, around 50 to 80 heart attacks, strokes and heart disease-related deaths per 1,000 patients could be averted if all doctors correctly followed guidel...

Calcium and vitamin D may not cut cholesterol

2010-03-03T14:17:21Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People looking to improve their heart health by lowering their cholesterol levels won't find help from calcium and vitamin D supplements, according to a new study. While claims have been made for a beneficial effect of calcium and vitamin D on cholesterol levels, supporting evidence is thin, the study's lead author, Dr. Swapnil Rajpat...

Obama to say 'No I won't' to dessert after check-up

2010-03-01T16:15:42Z

President Barack Obama will be saying "No, I won't" to dessert and high-fat foods after an annual check-up showed his LDL cholesterol level has crept up, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Monday. "He would be also the first to tell you that he has probably had a few more cheeseburgers, and I think he would admi...

Merck Schering Plough Vytorin Settlement

2010-04-05T08:30:42Z

FILE - In this 2004 file photo provided by Schering-Plough Corp., the cholesterol-lowering drug Vytorin, the product of a joint venture between pharmaceutical companies Merck & Co., and Schering-Plough Corp., is shown. Drug developers Merck & Co. and Schering-Plough Corp. said Wednesday, A...