Heart disease breakthrough could lead to new treatments

[hereward]

Scientists are closer to "beating heart disease" after they discovered a "comprehensive" list of almost one hundred key genes linked to high cholesterol.
The discovery of 95 genes, of which 59 are new, kick starts a new era in research and could lead to a whole set of drug treatments for the developed world's number one killer.
The study, the biggest of its kind to date, is so significant because it identifies the most important genes connected to high cholesterol, the biggest – and most preventable – cause of the disease which kills 87,000 a year in Britain alone.
Now scientists can look at each gene to see how they individually and collectively give rise to the dangerous condition.
Treatments which turn off or on the genes could be available within a decade, say experts.
Research in mice has already shown that one of the genes known as SORT1 has a protective effect against dangerous levels of cholesterol.
Professor Jeremy Pearson, vascular biologist at King's College London and associate medical director of the British Heart Foundation, said the research was an "heroic effort".
"What we get out of the survey is a comprehensive list of genes that affect fat and cholesterol levels in blood," he said.
"They have found the genes now they have to found out how they act and affect the blood to develop targets for new medicines.
"It has been an heroic effort and opens a whole new chapter in research to prevent heart disease."
The research, an analysis of 46 studies by institutions across the world including Harvard and Cambridge Universities, involved more than 100,000 people, including 2,000 families in Britain.
The researchers compared each individuals genetic make up to their levels of cholesterol and heart disease.
More at : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/he...reatments.html

[Piparskeggr]

No help for me, I have an electrical problem...total cholesterol went down 50 points in the past 2 years and HDL went up on my bacon-cheeseburger diet