To describe demographic characteristics, current local clinical management and outcomes for patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) managed at the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust (RBHT), a specialist UK tertiary cardiac centre.
Source: Journal of Clinical Lipidology and Metabolic Disorders
Familial chylomicronemia syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that is caused by loss of lipoprotein lipase activity and characterized by chylomicronemia and recurrent episodes of pancreatitis. There are no effective therapies. In an open-label study of three patients with this syndrome, antisense-mediated inhibition of hepatic APOC3 mRNA with volanesorsen led to decreased plasma apolipoprotein C-III and triglyceride levels.
Different lines of investigation suggest that “dietary quality” rather than “nutrient quantity” is a more reliable index for healthy nutrition. Any meaningful dietary intervention ought to extend far beyond the current focus on nutrient quantity and include the myriad qualitative aspects of food and food combinations, which would affect health and disease states.
Source:The Journal of Clinical Investigation
An appraisal of currently available and emerging therapies for lowering LDL cholesterol, lipoprotein(a), and triglycerides for prevention of ischaemic heart disease.
Source: The Lancet
A consensus statement by HEART UK on a strategy with age appropriate guidance for managing children and young people with heterozygous FH in the UK.
Using a blood donor screening program as a novel strategy to detect and notify individuals with potential familial hypercholesterolemia, particularly younger individuals in whom early detection and treatment is especially helpful, as well as guide cascade screening.
A recent study found that higher levels of circulating Linoleic Acid (LA) were significantly associated with lower risks of total cardiovascular disease (CVD), cardiovascular mortality, and ischemic stroke. Arachidonic Acid (AA) levels were not associated with higher risk of cardiovascular outcomes. In fact, comparing extreme quintiles, higher levels were associated with lower risk of total CVD.
A recent meta-analysis of 36 randomised controlled trials, representing 1803 participants, compared diets with red meat with diets that replaced red meat with a variety of foods on various cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.
Replacing saturated fatty acids (SFAs) with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has been linked to a reduced risk of CVD. In addition, controlled metabolic studies have shown the importance of fat quality on LDL cholesterol and randomised controlled trials have shown that replacing SFA with PUFA significantly reduces LDL cholesterol. What is less well known is the metabolic alterations that occur when replacing SFA with PUFA in the diet.
