Cholesterol

For people with coronary heart disease, regular monitoring of bloodstream cholesterol levels is essential – and it typically requires the drawing of blood samples. A new system, however, is claimed to provide the same data simply by imaging the skin of the hand.

New research has found no evidence statin use can reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 or death. Countering studies suggesting statins may protect against severe COVID-19, the study indicates statins could slightly increase the risk of serious illness.

New research has identified one of the ways cholesterol can enhance the ability of cancer cells to metastasize. The study focused particularly on breast cancer, shedding light on prior observational work linking statin use to higher survival rates.

A new study has expanded our knowledge of the relationship between brain cholesterol and Alzheimers, by observing how one influences the other in live mice and demonstrating how the process could be manipulated to slow the disease.

A phase 2 clinical trial of a cholesterol-reducing drug called evinacumab has reported promising results. In patients with extremely high cholesterol, the drug was able to reduce levels by about half, compared to a placebo.

Using a multi-modal approach to data analysis, scientists have identified a subtype of autism linked with a gene cluster known to affect neurodevelopment and lipid metabolism. It's suggested this subtype accounts for nearly seven percent of autism cases.

Scientists have discovered a new mechanism by which a “bad” type of cholesterol gains entry to the cells, offering new targets for drugs that could lower its levels in the blood to help prevent disease.

A new study, led by researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, is shedding light on a century-old mystery. The study describes how bacteria in the gut can metabolize cholesterol at levels high enough to improve a person’s cardiac health.

A new study has delved into the impact of gut bacteria on cholesterol levels, detailing the "remarkable effects" of the introduction of a set of molecules that shift the balance of bacterial species in a way that prevents thickening of the arteries.

Statin drugs are commonly taken to help manage cholesterol levels. But now, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have found that they may also kill some cancer cells by starving them of nutrients, and uncovered the mechanism for how that can happen.

A study is suggesting alterations to a dairy cow’s diet can result in milk lower in saturated fat and a clinical trial in humans demonstrates these natural “healthier” dairy products may lead to positive heart health effects.

An entirely new cholesterol-lowering drug is on track for broad clinical approval after the latest trial results to be published reveal it is both safe and effective when administered in conjunction with commonly prescribed statins.