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| Statin tablets |
HDL: high density lipoprotein (good cholesterol)
LDL: low density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol)
Statins: Drugs that lower LDL densities
Summary:
Anacetrapib is a drug that attacks cholesterol differently than most drugs. Instead of decreasing LDL, the "bad cholesterol density" like a statin, it increases the amount of HDL, or "good cholesterol." And not only does it work differently, it is supposed to protect people from heart diseases effectively. The drug was made as an improvement from the drug torcetrapib, which relatively worked the same but actually increased the risk of death. Ancetrapib was found safe in 94 percent of the cases and ended up with much more positive results than its predecessor. The drug raised HDL levels 138 percent for patients. Contrastingly, exercising or changing your food might result only in a 10 percent gain. A combination of the HDL and stain provided these effect with an additional 40 percent lost in LNL. The negative side provided few losses with only 3.3 percent of patients experiencing heart attacks. However, one down side to taking this drug is that it increases the protein CRP, which marks blood inflammation. Fortunately, CRP levels increase very subtly. We will ascertain the effects of HDL after larger studies initiate. A 30,000 international patient trial testing for the drug will start in 2011 and results will come in 2014.
Discussion:
It is intriguing how a drug raises good cholesterol rather than decreasing bad cholesterol. Additionally, this drug is very safe as only a handful of results exist where the drug wasn't successful. If this drug's effectiveness is proved after the upcoming trial, it will impact a tremendous amount of lives and will be able to increase the life expectancy of a human being in areas around the world. One point to adress is that the article states that the drug is much more effective than exercise. This can create a negative impact as people take this drug to avoid exercise and become lazy, avoiding walks or visits to the gym. This drug is so influential that as well as affecting the health of human beings, it can affect daily routine and lifestyle. Arrival of Ancetrapib leaves the future positive for people with heart problems and problems such as affecting the routine are minor and underwhelming in its shadow.
Questions:
For the people that Ancetrapib didn't work for, did the drug worsen their condition or not change it at all?
What condition do people have to be in to take Ancetrapib?
Citations
Katsnelson, Alla. "Good news for 'good' cholesterol." Scientific American 17
Nov. 2010: n. pag. Web. 19 Nov. 2010. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/
article.cfm?id=good-news-for-good-cholesterol>.
Picture URL
http://topnews.ae/images/Statins-tablet.jpg
