New Drug Dramatically Increases HDL, or 'Good,' Cholesterol, Says Study
The estimated 30 million Americans currently taking statin medications for cholesterol may have a new choice for lowering their levels of "bad" cholesterol in the years to come. An experimental drug was shown to have a dramatic effect on cholesterol levels, lowering the bad stuff and raising the good.
Investigators presented the trial results this morning at the American Heart Association meeting in Chicago. Research showed that the new cardiovascular medication, known as anacetrapib, more than doubles the level of good HDL cholesterol and cuts bad LDL cholesterol in half.
"My eyes popped right open when I saw the results," said Dr. Christopher P. Cannon, senior investigator of the TIMI Study Group in the cardiovascular division of Brigham and Women's Hospital and lead author of the study. "Anyone who has seen this data is more excited than they have been in 10 years for new treatments for heart disease."
Anacetrapib was being used in a trial called DEFINE -- short for Determining the Efficacy and Tolerability of CETP Inhibition with AnacEtrapib. It included more than 1,600 patients who took either anacetrapib or a placebo. As is standard procedure with new medications, it was being tested first to make sure it was safe; tests of how well it worked would come later.
source:http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Cholesterol/good-cholesterol-dramatically-raised-drug-anacetrapib-study/story?id=12164378