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Posted by: quackpot 1 year, 7 months ago

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quackpot1 year, 7 months ago

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In all fairness, the results of these trials of Ezitimibe are VERY surprising. The drugs do, in fact, do what they were designed for - to lower LDL-cholesterol levels. The problem is that in one very narrow group of patients (those with familial hypercholesterolemia, an inherited disorder that affects about 1 in 500), the lowered LDL-cholesterol does not correlate with a decrease in artery size (lower atherosclerosis). The questions that remain for longer term studies to figure out are:
--do the drugs extend life?
--is this just an effect that is specific to those with familial hypercholesterol?
In a broader sense, the study brings into question the assumption that lower LDL-cholesterol is better.

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