Mevacor, Lovastatin News

July 1, 2009 -- Millions of people without established heart disease could benefit from cholesterol -lowering statin therapy even if they don't have high cholesterol , a new analysis suggests.

A team of researchers including Berl Oakley, the Irving S. Johnson Distinguished Professor of Molecular Biology at KU, has developed a method to activate genes of the fungus Aspergillus nidulans to produce such compounds, also known as secondary metabolites.

Treatment with a cholesterol -lowering drug might protect against Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests.

Therefore, many cholesterol lowering drugs, including statins, have been developed in recent years.

PHILADELPHIA, PA.; June 21, 2009 -- When Chuck Jones' weight and cholesterol got too high, he ramped up his exercise, and went on a cholesterol-lowering statin drug prescribed by his doctor.

High cholesterol levels are considered to be a risk factor not only for cardiovascular disease including stroke, but also for the development of Alzheimer's disease.

That's the new finding from a study of more than 3,000 Group Health patients published online on June 16 in advance of the British Medical Journal's June 20 print issue.

One half of the patients were given instructions to take 1800 milligrams of red yeast rice, while the other half were given a placebo.

In a new study, Pennsylvania researchers found that a commercially available red yeast rice product significantly decreased the cholesterol in 62 patients with high cholesterol.

June 17, 2009 -- By some estimates, as many as 10% of people who take cholesterol -lowering statins experience troubling muscle pain , and many stop taking the drugs because of it.

Physicians in Pennsylvania and reported in the June 16 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, found a significant cholesterol-lowering effect of a commercially available nonprescription red yeast rice product in a small group of such people.

Taking popular cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, such as Lipitor , does not lower the risk of pneumonia.

A new study revives a running controversy about the purported cholesterol-lowering effects of the centuries-old natural product called red yeast rice.

Abstract We performed a focused siRNA screen in an A549 dengue type 2 New Guinea C subgenomic replicon cell line that contains a Renilla luciferase cassette.

Q: Should I be on a 'Statin' medication? A: Statins are drugs that are used to lower cholesterol and are being touted as one of the wonder drugs of the 21st century.

Q: I am convinced that hormone replacement is contributing to my hair loss along with medications for cholesterol and blood pressure.

New research suggests that the cholesterol-lowering ability of "statin" drugs, like Lipitor and Mevacor, is blunted when the blood contains high levels of an enzyme called phospholipid transferprotein.

Published: Sunday, March 22, 2009 at 1:00 a.m. Last Modified: Friday, March 20, 2009 at 2:02 p.m. Dear Dr.

Monday, March 09, 2009 at 8:07 p.m. Red Yeast Rice: This extract, used in Chinese meals, may be good for your heart.

Wegmans Food Markets announced today that it will offer 30-day supplies of nearly 390 prescription medications for $4. Ninety-day supplies will be $10. The new prices go into effect Sunday.