Notions of Good Cholesterol and Bad Cholesterol Challenged

It is interesting to note that our notions of ‘bad cholesterol’ and ‘good cholesterol’ are being challenged. A post on the BioJobBlog http://www.biojobblog.com/2008/01/articles/ideas-and-indulgences/unraveling-the-cholesterol-conundrum/ outlines this controversy.

It all started in January 2008 when Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals released results from the ENHANCE trial, which found that the ezetimibe/simvastatin (Zetia/Zocor) combination drug known as Vytorin was no more effective in reducing artery plaque build-up than simvastatin (Zocor) alone. There were no statistically significant differences in the safety of the drugs, which are used to lower cholesterol. The combination drug did lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL – “bad” cholesterol) significantly more than the single agent, but it did not reduce the amount of arterial plaque build-up in the carotid (neck) arteries. However, the LDL levels in both groups remained well above target level.

These results have caused some scientists to question whether LDL cholesterol (termed the bad cholesterol ) is really the culprit that we have made it to be.

LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein and is made in the liver. Cholesterol is a waxy-fatty substance which cannot be transported in the blood stream in its natural state. So the liver wraps it in a protein sheath for easy transport in the bloodstream and off it goes to cells that might need it.

Scientists are questioning whether cholesterol is as harmful a substance as it has been touted to be for so many years. Perhaps there is some other fatty substance wrapped in with each LDL particle that plays a larger role in developing plaques and consequent heart attacks.

The jury is still out on these notions of good and bad cholesterol. May be after further research and study we will arrive at a better understanding of LDL cholesterol and its part in heart disease.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 14th, 2009 at 2:50 pm and is filed under heart disease. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

One Response to “Notions of Good Cholesterol and Bad Cholesterol Challenged”

Kyung Crookshanks on June 2nd, 2010 at 10:03 am

thanks for posts – the reason is of current importance – will read once more

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