Raising cholesterol 'saves lives'

Raising cholesterol 'saves lives'

By Pat Hagan
In Chicago

Cholesterol collects in the blood

Doctors may be able to save many lives by trying to boost levels of 'good' cholesterol rather than reduce bad cholesterol, according to a study.

It shows deaths from heart disease fall significantly when patients are given drugs to increase high-density lipoprotein, (HDL), the healthy fat found in blood.

For years, doctors have been concentrating on cutting down either total cholesterol levels, or the proportion of low-density lipoprotein, (LDL), the harmful cholesterol that damages arteries and causes heart disease.

But the latest findings, presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology in Chicago, suggest some patients may fare better if HDL levels are increased.

"We know low levels of HDL are associated with coronary heart disease but the question has always been whether raising HDL reduces the risk," said Dr Henrietta Reicher- Reiss, from the Heart Institute at Sheba Medical Centre in Tel Hashomer, Israel.

"This study shows patients do benefit from increased HDL."

Vital role

This could be applied to quite a broad population

Dr Henrietta Reicher- Reiss

Cholesterol is a blood fat which is produced by the liver and is vital for certain cellular functions.

But if too much LDL is circulating within the bloodstream, it becomes deposited within blood vessels where it damages the lining and raises the risk of clots.

Many major studies have highlighted the benefits of reducing LDL.

But there has been much less research into the potential benefits of raising HDL instead.

The Israeli researchers tracked around 3,000 patients over an eight-year period.

Half were given a daily dose of 400 milligrammes of bezafibrate, a drug used to control cholesterol levels in heart disease.

The remainder were given a dummy pill.

The results showed that, over the eight year follow-up, more than 15% of the placebo group died from heart disease but in the drug group, it was only 13.9% - a statistically significant difference.

HDL levels among those treated with bezafibrate rose 17%, compared with just 3% in the placebo group.

"The results were the same whatever the age or sex of the patient, or whether they had previously suffered a heart attack or not," said Dr Reicher-Reiss.

"The implications of this trial are that people treated with fibrates benefit from increments in their HDL levels.

This could be applied to quite a broad population because around 50% of patients with coronary heart disease do not have excessive total cholesterol levels."

But she stressed not all patients respond to HDL-boosting therapy and said those who did not fared much worse than those given a placebo.