In the course of monitoring the current medical literature, our staff at the Center for Current Research is occasionally struck by a project so promising that it should be shared with everyone. The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol is currently the most powerful single predictor of risk in dyslipidemic patients. Nicotinic acid reduces triglyceride and cholesterol levels while raising HDL concentrations, but up to half of patients cannot tolerate its adverse effects. Fibric acids effectively lower triglyceride levels and are generally well tolerated but have little beneficial effect on the cholesterol profile. Statins offer marked reductions in total, LDL, and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and cause modest increases in HDL concentration.
Combination therapy can enhance the efficacy of the individual drugs.
Some types of hyperlipidemia are hereditary, while others may occur secondary to diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, thyroid disease and alcoholism. Hyperlipidemia predisposes individuals to coronary heart disease, other vascular diseases, or pancreatitis. The risk tends to rise when obesity, smoking, or high blood pressure is also present. Diagnosis of hyperlipidemia is made by evaluating blood samples for elevated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Childhood screening should be done in families where heart disease is prevalent.