Statins may help prevent deadly blood clots
It may be common knowledge among cardiologists and heart patients that individuals who buy Canadian Lipitor can control their cholesterol levels.
It may be common knowledge among cardiologists and heart patients that individuals who buy Canadian Lipitor can control their cholesterol levels. However, a new study suggests that the protective effects of statins may go beyond reducing cholesterol and lipids.
Deadly blood clots can occur when atherosclerotic plaques break off. Based on previous research suggesting that a clotting molecule known as tissue factor may be present at high levels inside these plaques, a team of scientists decided to test the effects of a statin drug on subjects with high cholesterol.
The study team conducted an experiment on humans, mice and monkeys with unhealthy levels of cholesterol. After being treated with a statin, subjects experienced reductions in both oxidized low density lipoprotein and tissue factor, suggesting that the former induces expression of the latter - and that statins may be able to rein in both substances.
"Statins have been shown to have antithrombotic activity in several previous studies. However, I believe our study is the first to elucidate how statins reduce the activation of the blood clotting process independently of their lipid lowering activity," said researcher Nigel Mackman, PhD, whose study is published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
About 16 percent of American adults have high cholesterol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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