PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Adults with inherited high cholesterol are underdiagnosed and undertreated

2014-03-31
(Press-News.org) MINNEAPOLIS, MN – March 30, 2014 – An estimated 1 in 500 people worldwide suffer from familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), an inherited condition of extremely high cholesterol that is associated with premature heart disease and death. Despite this high prevalence, recent research funded by the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation (MHIF) confirms FH is underdiagnosed and undertreated. Thomas Knickelbine, MD, Preventive Cardiology Director at the Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, will present the results of research aimed at identifying just how prevalent FH underdiagnosis is at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) meeting in Washington, DC on March 30.

Dr. Knickelbine and a team of MHIF researchers analyzed the electronic health records (EHRs) of 391,166 consenting ambulatory patients seen at Allina Health locations between 2009 and 2012 to identify individuals who were at least 80% likely to have FH (determined by low-density lipoprotein [LDL or "bad" cholesterol"] levels and age). They discovered 841 patients (0.21% or 1 in ~465) who were likely to have FH — only 36 (4.3%) of them had been diagnosed with the condition. "Provider recognition of FH is extremely low," explains Dr. Knickelbine. "Our research shows we can effectively use EHR data to identify asymptomatic FH patients and improve early diagnosis and treatment of this high-risk condition."

In this large, ambulatory patient population, the researchers also found that FH was undertreated. Of the 841 patients likely to have FH, 64.8% were on statin medications, but an additional 25.8% were not currently on a statin nor were they reported to be statin intolerant. In addition, only about one fourth of the identified FH group had achieved their NCEP LDL goal, and only 31% had been seen by a cardiovascular (CV) specialist. INFORMATION: About the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation is dedicated to improving people's lives through the highest quality cardiovascular research and education. Scientific Innovation and Research — Publishing more than 120 peer-reviewed studies each year, MHIF is a recognized research leader in the broadest range of cardiovascular medicine. Each year, cardiologists and hospitals around the world adopt MHIF protocols to save lives and improve patient care. Education and Outreach — Research shows that modifying specific health behaviors can significantly reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Through community programs, screenings and presentations, MHIF educates people of all walks of life about heart health. The goal of the Foundation's community outreach is to increase personal awareness of risk factors and provide the tools necessary to help people pursue heart- healthy lifestyles. About the Minneapolis Heart Institute® The Minneapolis Heart Institute® is recognized internationally as one of the world's leading providers of heart and vascular care. This state-of-the-art facility combines the finest in personalized patient care with sophisticated technology in a unique, family-oriented environment. The Institute's programs, a number of which are conducted in conjunction with Abbott Northwestern Hospital, address the full range of heart and vascular health needs: prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Evolocumab superior to ezetimibe in lowering LDL cholesterol

2014-03-31
WASHINGTON (March 30, 2014) — Evolocumab, an injected form of a class of drugs called PCSK9 inhibitors that lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, also known as LDL-C or "bad cholesterol," outperformed ezetimibe with few side effects in patients unable to take statins, according to research from GAUSS-2 presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session. High LDL cholesterol is considered a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Statins are commonly prescribed to reduce that risk. Currently ezetimibe is one of the few options ...

Head-to-head study favors balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valves

2014-03-31
WASHINGTON (March 30, 2014) — A first-ever randomized head-to-head comparison of two devices commonly used to treat the age-related disease aortic stenosis finds balloon-expandable transcatheter valves result in more successful procedures and relieve symptoms more frequently than self-expanding valves, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session. Aortic stenosis is a condition in which a crucial valve in the heart ceases to function properly. The only cure is to replace the valve, either through open heart surgery ...

Higher risks without cardio benefits halt study of aleglitazar

2014-03-31
WASHINGTON (March 30, 2014) — The phase III AleCardio trial was ended early when patients with type 2 diabetes and recent acute coronary syndrome who were treated with aleglitazar showed higher rates of heart failure, kidney events and gastrointestinal bleeding with no offsetting cardiovascular benefits, according to data presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session. All other studies with the drug have been stopped as well. Aleglitazar sparked interest for this patient population because of its dual action on two subtypes of the PPAR ...

Darapladib falls short in chronic coronary heart disease

2014-03-31
WASHINGTON (March 30, 2014) — The novel inflammation inhibitor darapladib showed no primary-endpoint advantage over placebo in patients with chronic coronary heart disease treated with a high level of background care, although it did suggest possible benefits for more specific coronary artery-related endpoints, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session. STABILITY is the first study to test this inflammation-prevention mechanism for reducing the likelihood that plaque will become an artery-blocking clot. Darapladib ...

Evolocumab safely drops LDL cholesterol well below statin-only baseline

2014-03-31
WASHINGTON (March 30, 2014) — The monoclonal antibody evolocumab produced highly significant reductions in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad cholesterol," as an add-on to statins in all treatment groups, according to data from the LAPLACE-2 study presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session. LDL cholesterol is considered a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. "High-risk patients – such as those with clinical cardiovascular disease, high LDL cholesterol levels or diabetes – are ideally treated with high-intensity ...

Anti-gout medication colchicine helps patients with recurrent pericarditis

2014-03-31
WASHINGTON (March 30, 2014) — A medication traditionally used to treat gout is also effective at treating recurrent pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac-like covering around the heart, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session. In the first multicenter, double-blind trial to look at the use of colchicine for multiple recurrences of pericarditis, 240 patients were randomly assigned to either the study drug or placebo to examine the primary endpoint of recurrent pericarditis. The rate of disease recurrence ...

Renal denervation patient registry finds low rate of adverse events

2014-03-31
WASHINGTON (March 30, 2014) — Patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure treated with renal denervation had low rates of adverse events and significant lowering of blood pressure at six months, according to a registry-based study presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session. The Global SYMPLICITY Registry is the first and largest dataset of patients with uncontrolled hypertension treated with renal denervation. The open-label, multicenter study was established to examine the safety and effectiveness of the procedure. Outcomes presented ...

Post-approval study of transcatheter pulmonary valve completes 1 year

2014-03-31
WASHINGTON (March 30, 2014) — The first post-FDA approval study of a non-surgically implanted replacement pulmonary valve showed strong short- and mid-term results for the device in a small sample of patients with certain congenital heart defects, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session. This multi-center study of 100 patients consecutively implanted with the Melody transcatheter pulmonary valve between July 2010 and July 2012 assessed the effectiveness of the device at six and 12 months based on the percentage ...

Cardiac resynchronization improves survival in heart failure patients

2014-03-31
WASHINGTON (March 30, 2014) — Patients in mild heart failure who receive a specialized pacemaker known as cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator (CRT-D) may live longer than those implanted with a traditional implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session. In the first study to look at CRT-D in mildly symptomatic patients, researchers found that patients with left bundle branch block implanted with a CRT-D had a 41 percent reduced risk of death compared ...

Blood test helps predict heart attack risk for patients with chest pain

2014-03-31
WASHINGTON (March 30, 2014) — Patients presenting to the emergency department with an undetectable level of the blood biomarker high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T, and whose ECGs show no sign of restricted blood flow, have a minimal risk of heart attack within 30 days, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session. In a study of all patients (14,636 in total) reporting to a Swedish emergency department with chest pain over a two-year period from 2010 to 2012, researchers examined patients' blood levels of high-sensitivity ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Community partners key to success of vaccine clinic focused on neurodevelopmental conditions

Low-carbon collaborative dual-layer optimization for energy station considering joint electricity and heat demand response

McMaster University researchers uncover potential treatment for rare genetic disorders

The return of protectionism: The impact of the Sino-US trade war

UTokyo and NARO develop new vertical seed distribution trait for soybean breeding

Research into UK’s use of plastic packaging finds households ‘wishcycle’ rather than recycle – risking vast contamination

Vaccine shows promise against aggressive breast cancer

Adverse events affect over 1 in 3 surgery patients, US study finds

Outsourcing adult social care has contributed to England’s care crisis, argue experts

The Lancet: Over 800 million adults living with diabetes, more than half not receiving treatment, global study suggests

New therapeutic approach for severe COVID-19: faster recovery and reduction in mortality

Plugged wells and reduced injection lower induced earthquake rates in Oklahoma

Yin selected as a 2024 American Society of Agronomy Fellow

Long Covid could cost the economy billions every year

Bluetooth technology unlocks urban animal secrets

This nifty AI tool helps neurosurgeons find sneaky cancer cells

Treatment advances, predictive biomarkers stand to improve bladder cancer care

NYC's ride-hailing fee failed to ease Manhattan traffic, new NYU Tandon study reveals

Meteorite contains evidence of liquid water on Mars 742 million years ago

Self-reported screening helped reduce distressing symptoms for pediatric patients with cancer

Which risk factors are linked to having a severe stroke?

Opening borders for workers: Abe’s profound influence on Japan’s immigration regime

How skills from hospitality and tourism can propel careers beyond the industry

Research shows managers of firms handling recalls should review media scrutiny before deciding whether to lobby

New model system for the development of potential active substances used in condensate modifying drugs

How to reduce social media stress by leaning in instead of logging off

Pioneering research shows sea life will struggle to survive future global warming

In 10 seconds, an AI model detects cancerous brain tumor often missed during surgery 

Burden of RSV–associated hospitalizations in US adults, October 2016 to September 2023

Repurposing semaglutide and liraglutide for alcohol use disorder

[Press-News.org] Adults with inherited high cholesterol are underdiagnosed and undertreated