News
AHA Scientific Sessions – TAUSSIG analysis: Homozygous FH patients on lipid apheresis
Treatment with PCSK9 monoclonal antibody therapy results in further LDL-C lowering in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH ) receiving lipid apheresis, provided that they have at least one LDL receptor-defective mutation, according to data from the Trial Assessing Long-Term Use of PCSK9 Inhibition in…
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AHA Scientific Sessions 2014: The Editors view of Day 1
PCSK9 Forum Editor Professor Derick Raal, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, discusses the take home messages from the Day 1 Latebreaker Trials IMPROVE-IT After much debate, IMPROVE-IT showed a significant benefit – although only just – with 6.4% reduction (p=0.016) in the primary outcome…
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News from AHA Scientific Sessions Latebreakers IMPROVE-IT: support for the lower is better hypothesis
Results from IMPROVE-IT reaffirm the LDL hypothesis that ‘lower is better’. As incremental benefit on cardiovascular outcomes was seen with the addition of non-statin therapy, IMPROVE-IT bodes well for the PCSK9-targeted therapies. The IMPROVE-IT trial has been the subject of much speculation over the last…
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News from AHA 2014 ODYSSEY ALTERNATIVE in statin-intolerant patients
Alirocumab shows efficacy in statin intolerant patient with fewer muscle-related adverse events than atorvastatin. There was virtually no myalgia among patients who continued on open-label alirocumab, reinforcing that the fear of allocation to statin has had an enormous effect in the blinded study phase. Statin…
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Is there a need for a unified definition for FH?
2014 FH Global Summit: 13-14 October, New York, USA: FH is clearly underdiagnosed and undertreated in the majority of countries.1 Given this status quo, would the development of a unified global definition of FH offer advantages for detection, management and health policy? In the FH…
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Not only lower BUT but SOONER is better
2014 FH Global Summit: 13-14 October, New York, USA FH is highly treatable: lowering LDL-C helps in managing the disease process. Clearly, the focus for FH care needs to move from the acute setting to prevention. Identifying FH sooner rather than later is optimal for…
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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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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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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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Rationale for TESLA and results
Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) can be significantly reduced in patients with a serious genetic disorder – homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) – when a PCSK9 inhibitor evolocumab is added to statins and other lipid-lowering medications. Professor Frederick Raal explains the results of the TESLA study.
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Take home messages from ACC2014
Results of studies presented in 2014, show that PCSK9 inhibitors: 1) very effectively reduce low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C); and 2) show consistently predictable safety profiles. The positive results of short-term studies are now being reported in longer terms and larger clinical studies, Dr Evan…
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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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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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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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Why is it critical to target children with FH?
Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is the most common genetic disorder in the world. People with FH have high levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) resulting in a high risk of premature and sudden death. Now early diagnosis and treatment can save lives, says Dr Albert…
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Professor Gerald Watts discusses the 10 countries project in FH
The International Atherosclerosis Society has begun a study in Asia and the Pacific Rim to provide the first comprehensive investigation of the worlds commonest genetic disorder, familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) in the region. FH results in very high levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and…
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Unmet needs in children with FH
Identification and treatment to reduce low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) of children with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is vital to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death in early adulthood. FH is the most common genetic disorder in the world. Parents and healthcare professionals need to be…
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PCSK9 inhibition: lipid-modifying benefits beyond LDL-C lowering
Recent evidence indicates that PCSK9 also modulates the metabolism of triglyceride-rich apolipoprotein B (apoB) lipoproteins, another important coronary heart disease risk factor. This suggests that PCSK9-targeted therapies may also have a role in the management of postprandial hypertriglyceridaemia, highly relevant in obese individuals. To investigate…
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PCSK9 variants associated with cerebral ischaemic stroke in Han Chinese
PCSK9 variants have been previously linked with risk for cerebrovascular disease in Caucasian populations.1 Given the propensity for stroke in Asians, notably the Chinese,2 the current study investigated whether PCSK9 variants may be implicated with risk for stroke in the Han Chinese population. The study…
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R46L variant: an important modifier of the FH phenotype?
Carriage of the PCSK9 R46L loss of function mutation in FH patients appears to counteract the effects of FH-causing LDL receptor mutations, leading an improved phenotype and protection against coronary heart disease. 46L is the most common occurring in exon 1 of the PCSK9 gene,…
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