Clinical Study Focuses on Raising "Good" Cholesterol
By: Gretchen Bolander
Updated: April 20, 2012
JOPLIN, MO-- Clinical research coordinator Sheryl Faucett has a busy few years ahead. She'll be working with a new clinical trial and said, "They're hoping to that by raising the HDL, they can stop some of these heart attacks and prevent the damage of those people who already have high cholesterol."
Faucett will be working with up to 100 local patients to test whether a new drug really will save lives. It focuses on high density lipoprotein, or HDL - the good cholesterol. Freeman Cardiologist Dr. Eugene Langevin is enrolling patients. He said, "It's already been proven that this drug will raise HDL levels by 150% which is fantastic. We're hoping to get HDL levels of 70 - 80- 90."
The study focuses on patients 50 or older that have a history of cardio-vascular issues. For those who qualify, they'll receive a free statin drug as well as either the new medication or a placebo. In exchange, there are blood tests every six months. Added Langevin, "The premise of the study is does this raising HDL will it lower the cardiac and vascular events over a period of 4 years."
Freeman cardiologists started enrolling patients last week - but the impact doesn't stop there. Langevin said, "In this study, there's going to be 6,000 patients enrolled in China alone."
