Sir, Argatroban is a synthetic direct thrombin inhibitor that is used as an anticoagulant for haemodialysis (HD) in patients with type II heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) or with antithrombin III deficiency [1,2]. Although there has been no report of hypercholesterolaemia as an adverse effect of argatroban, I recently experienced a case in which severe hypercholesterolaemia was strongly s...

Statins in hypercholesterolaemia: A dose-specific meta-analysis of lipid changes in Title: randomised, double blind trials

Hypercholesterolaemia is amongst the most common conditions encountered in the medical profession. It remains one of the key modifiable cardiovascular risk factors and there have been recent advances in the risk stratification methods and treatment options available. In this review, we provide a background into hypercholesterolaemia for non-specialists and consider the merits of the different r...

1. The effects of dietary polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and excess tyrosine on serum and liver lipids, urinary ascorbic acid and catecholamines were compared in male Wistar rats. 2. Serum levels of cholesterol, urinary ascorbic acid, norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine and histamine were significantly increased in rats given either PCB or excess tyrosine. 3. The hypercholesterolaemia induce...

Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is characterised clinically by an increased level of circulating LDL cholesterol that leads to lipid accumulation in tendons and arteries, premature atherosclerosis and increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Although Portugal should have about 20,000 cases, this disease is severely under-diagnosed in our country, this being the first presentation of ...

We review the current drug treatment of hyperlipidaemia at our specialist out-patient clinics between October 1995 and December 1995. During this period, 523 patients received one or more lipid-lowering drugs. Each patient was assessed for his vascular risk, the number of lipid measurements before and after treatment and the type, duration and outcome of drug treatment. Only 30% patients achiev...

Vascular dementia (VaD) is the second commonest cause of dementia. Stroke is the leading cause of disability in adults in developed countries, the second major cause of dementia and the third commonest cause of death. Traditional vascular risk factors-diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension and smoking-are implicated as risk factors for VaD. The associations between cholesterol and small ...