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Heart Disease Expert Calls for Aggressive Cholesterol-Lowering Therapy for Patients With Diabetes and the Metabolic Syndrome

Posted on: Wednesday, 27 October 2004, 09:00 CDT

Atherotech's VAP(TM) Expanded Cholesterol Test Supports Efforts

to Reduce Heart Disease Risk

-0- *T WHO: Christopher Rembold, M.D., professor of internal medicine and

physiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of

Virginia Health System.

WHAT: In an article published in the October 2004 issue of Current

Diabetes Reports, Dr. Rembold reviewed cholesterol

abnormalities experienced by patients with

non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and the metabolic

syndrome -- patients who are at very high risk for heart

disease. These abnormalities include a number of cholesterol

subclasses and measurements that are identified by the

National Cholesterol Education Program as emerging risk

factors and secondary targets of therapy for heart disease but

are not measured by routine cholesterol tests. Dr. Rembold

reports that an important advance in the early identification

and aggressive treatment of these high-risk patients is the

availability of affordable expanded cholesterol tests, such as

the VAP (Vertical Auto Profile) Test from Atherotech, that

identify key lipid abnormalities and guide individualized

patient care. Patients with these cholesterol problems are

candidates for aggressive treatment with tailored combination

therapy in order to reduce the high heart disease risk

associated with these prevalent conditions.

WHY:

-- Diabetes mellitus is an increasing cause of death and

cardiovascular disease, conferring the same risk for a heart

attack as known coronary artery disease.

-- Diabetes mellitus often is associated with the metabolic

syndrome, a constellation of lipid abnormalities and other

factors that further increase heart disease risk.

-- It is well-known in the medical community that routine

cholesterol tests identify less than half of patients at risk

for heart disease.

-- In contrast, the VAP Cholesterol Test identifies more than 90

percent of people at risk and uncovers hidden risk factors not

detected with routine tests, including lipid abnormalities

associated with diabetes mellitus and the metabolic syndrome.

-- The VAP Test, combined with a better understanding of the

causes of heart disease and new treatment approaches, provides

the opportunity to improve patient care and reduce the death

rate from heart disease in the United States.

HOW: Please call Barbara Sullivan at 714/374-6174 for more

information, to request a copy of the article, or to schedule

an interview with Dr. Rembold. *T

Source: Business Wire

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