Natural trans fat may not boost "bad" cholesterol

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The artificial trans fats that once abounded in processed foods have become notorious for their undesirable effects on cholesterol levels. But a small clinical trial suggests that natural trans fats may not do the same damage. When 61 healthy women followed a diet with a hefty dose of natural trans fats for four weeks, researchers found there were no changes in the ...

Toddler’s rare condition highlights need for universal cholesterol screening in kids

When Kennedi Thompson developed white, raised bumps on her skin, her parents initially thought she was having an allergic reaction. It turned out the bumps were a sign of dangerously high cholesterol for the toddler. Kennedi was just two years old when she was diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia

Alnylam's drug reduces bad cholesterol in early study

(Reuters) - Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc said an early-stage trial of its experimental cholesterol treatment showed the therapy reduced up to half the level of bad cholesterol in patients. The main goal of the study was to test the safety and tolerability of a single dose of the treatment, ALN-PCS -- which works by targeting a specific gene that is associated with high levels of bad cholesterol ...

Lipitor sales fall to generic

It was a day tens of thousands of people across the country had anticipated.

'Good' HDL cholesterol can also be 'bad'

Generally speaking, a distinction has been made so far between “good” HDL cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol. LDL contributes to cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke, while the “good” HDL protects against them. Now, however, experts have discovered that the anti-inflammatory effect of HDL was not detected in patients on renal dialysis.