Why did a promising heart drug fail?

news@nature.com ^ | 6 December 2006 | Helen Pearson

[Brad’s Gramma]

If that IS the case....he's been off of it for, dang, I don't know. A week? Two?

Thanks though, that IS helpful!!!

[neverdem]

Some of you may need this definition to get a handle on the following linked article on alternative splicing and how cells decide to make proteins.

intron(in¡¤tron) (in¢¥tron) a noncoding intervening sequence in a gene; almost all eukaryotic genes contain several introns separating the coding sequences (exons). After the 5¡Ç cap and polyA tail are added to a primary mRNA transcript, the introns are removed and the exons spliced together by enzymes that recognize short sequences that identify exon-intron junctions, resulting in a mature mRNA that is ready for translation (protein synthesis). Called also intervening sequence.

Living view in animals shows how cells decide to make proteins

A Vote for Stem Cell Research

Study says malaria helps spread HIV abstract linked in comment# 40

[Quix]

Thx

[uncbob]

You can increaseyou HDL and decrease the LDL through dietary changes

I used to have 195-200 total with 48-50 HDL

For the last 4 years I have been at 185 total 75 HDL

[kinoxi]

Dietary changes should be tried first, always IMO.

[Arizona Carolyn]

How did you raise your HDL? My husband has great Cholesterol, LDL and Trigliceride levels, but we can't get his HDL out of the low to mid 30's. I will say he hates green anything so I do give him greens in the form of pills, and they help, but not enough.

[neverdem]

Could you either type that in English or very slowly for the mentally challenged?

A balanced diet or multivitamin supplements provide a physiologic dose to maintain normal physiology. A pharmacologic dose to increase the HDL is much greater. That's why many patients complain of flushing. It's analogous to gunpowder. There's a little in a firecracker and a lot in a bomb. In a multivitamin you get 20 milligrams(mg) of niacin. For increasing HDL, they use 500 mg, 750 mg and 1000 mg pills

[uncbob]

First of all I jog and exerise regularly so that gave me a baseline of 48-50
Used to be on a low fat diet --non fat dressing on my salads etc

Stayed Low fat BUT Started using olive oil on my salads and bagel half That I dip as part of dinner

Did away with sugary cereals and switched to oat type with a scoop of high protein and non fat milk

Did away with white breads and use whole grain products
Used to use margaraine instead of butter until I learned about the Trans Fatty acids --Switched to Take Control/Benecol Light

Added at least a handful of nuts --Almonds cashews etc to my evening salads

Only eat meat about 4 times a week at dinner--pork trimmed--Ham steaks--90% lean hamburger on a George Foreman grill--Veal--White meat Turkey or Chicken

Other nights it is Shrimp--Salmon--Talapia

Rarely have cakes or pies or chips-nachos etc ( Exception is holidays etc)

Snack on Rice cakes --Sour Dough Pretzels -and very low fat ( no trans ) popcorn that I sprinkle Olive oil on

Couldn't believe the difference it made My tris range from 50-70

I guess I am one of the lucky ones that diet really works for

Others take Statins etc

[William Tell]

Hildy said: "But my good cholesterol is SO HIGH that it negates the bad cholesterol. "

I've heard of some Italians who were found to have very high cholesterol levels but no heart disease. They were being studied to find out if they might be a source of breakthrough treatments. I wonder how that's coming.

[Arizona Carolyn]

George doesn't eat Statins.. we eat a healty diet, no trans-fats, we even make out own Healthy Butter with 1/2 almond oil and 1/2 butter. Cook with Olive Oil, very little of any breads, but if we do it's whole grain bread. His Cholesterol is only 156 and he does eat eggs every morning because he has a tendency to hypoglycemia bordering on diabetes(has a family history of diabetes)....

I cooked whole grain oats for his breakfast every day for a while and it didn't do anything and his blood sugar fluctuated too much and raised his trigliceride level. With eggs in the a.m. the appetite is holding better and the triglicerides came down.

The only thing that is whacky is the HDL and it may be heriditary (according to the doctor) due to family history of diabetes and heart disease...

[uncbob]

Sounds like he is doing every thing correct in his diet

I eat eggs 3 days a week at lunch with a big 5 egg omelet but I use the egg beater type product

I know jogging increases HDLs some

I guess it is just genetics in your husbands case

My brother --smoker ( since stopped ) fatty diet--no exercise had HDLs around 35 and had a heart attck with a double bypass at 60 --He is now on statins--watches his diet etc and his total is now 160-170 with good HDL readings in the 60s

I am 70 and have been jogging since I was 40 --quit smoking at 34

[Arizona Carolyn]

My husband doesn't drink or smoke. Hasn't for 30 years.

[uncbob]

When brothers HDL was in the 30s his total was 260 so his LDLs were also very bad

Oh I forgot I don't drink either