Cholesterol medication can prevent fatal heart failure in men

Cholesterol-lowering drugs can revolutionize the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and save hundreds of lives each year.

An AAA is a balloon-like swelling of the lower part of the aorta, the body’s main artery that pumps blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

If left untreated, it can grow and rupture, causing life-threatening bleeding. About 80 percent of fractures are fatal.

AAA is thought to be caused by changes in the artery wall due to aging, smoking and high blood pressure, but the condition also runs in families.

It is six times more common in men than in women and affects about 4 percent of men over 65. Screening – which involves passing an ultrasound probe over the abdomen to create an image of the aorta – is offered to men aged 65 and older area.

Now a new study suggests that drugs already used to lower cholesterol may slow the growth of aneurysms and reduce or even prevent the need for surgery.

Women do not participate in the screening program because of their lower risk.

One theory is that the female sex hormone estrogen protects against their development (although, as Good Health reported, women are diagnosed based on criteria that apply to men who are taller, and researchers are now studying whether women are affected by an overworked version of the advantage draw from women-friendly definitions).

DO IT

Invest in a standing desk. The European Heart Journal reports that a recent study found that even short periods of standing instead of sitting can have positive effects on the heart.

Researchers analyzed data from 15,000 people, measuring activity over 24 hours, and identified a hierarchy of behaviors that benefit heart health. Vigorous activity is best, then walking, standing and sleeping. Lack of exercise and sitting had a negative effect.

Using a standing desk instead of sitting for several hours a day is an easy change, they said.

Symptoms of AAA include persistent stomach pain, back pain and a throbbing sensation near the belly button.

However, most cases are asymptomatic.

If a large aneurysm is found, an aneurysm at least 5.5 cm in diameter, it can be surgically repaired.

Little ones are monitored with regular ultrasound scans.

However, there is always the risk that they could burst at any time and the condition is sometimes described as a “ticking time bomb”.

Now a new study suggests that drugs already used to lower cholesterol may slow the growth of aneurysms and reduce or even prevent the need for surgery.

For the study, published last month in the journal Nature Genetics, researchers compared the DNA of nearly 40,000 people with AAAs to that of a million people without the condition.

Almost 150 pieces of DNA have been discovered to be involved in the formation of aneurysms.

In particular, it included a gene that produces a protein called PCSK9.

This protein, which is produced in the liver, ensures that the “bad” LDL cholesterol is not broken down.

As part of the study, studies in mice also showed that AAAs grew more slowly in mice that failed to produce PCSK9, suggesting that drugs that lower PCSK9 levels may be beneficial.

Such drugs, called PCSK9 inhibitors, already exist and are used to lower cholesterol levels when existing treatments such as statins are not effective enough.

Two PCSK9 inhibitors, alirocumab and evolocumab, are already approved for use in the UK but have yet to be tested in AAA patients.

These clinical trials could start within two years and the drugs could be widely used to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms by 2030, says Matthew Bown, professor of vascular surgery at the University of Leicester and one of the study’s lead researchers.

An AAA is a balloon-like swelling of the lower part of the aorta, the body’s main artery that pumps blood from the heart to the rest of the body (stock photo)

It is not known how cholesterol stimulates aneurysm growth. However, one possibility is that high cholesterol leads to inflammation, which weakens the walls of the aorta.

Commenting on the approach, Professor Gerard Stansby, honorary consultant vascular surgeon at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “AAA is a leading cause of sudden death, particularly in men aged 65 and over.”

“Anything that can explain why they develop or slow their growth would be extremely helpful, potentially saving hundreds of lives each year.”

• Covid can accelerate the growth of abdominal aortic aneurysms, according to a study from Stanford University in the US. People who have had the virus are 10 times more likely to have aneurysms that grow rapidly – by more than 2.7mm per year. One theory is that the virus’ spike protein produces more growth-promoting compounds. Researchers said those monitoring AAAs should be made aware of the connection.