Health
Statins safe for children with high cholesterol from genetic disorder
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Aug. 27, 2007
The cardiovascular health of children with familial hypercholesterolemia can be improved safely with statins, according to a study in the Aug. 7 Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Assn.
Researchers followed 186 children who originally had participated in a placebo-controlled trial addressing this question. During the open-label follow-up phase, all participants took statins. A carotid intima-media thickness measurement was taken after an average of 4.5 years. The earlier statins were started, the healthier this number. In addition, participants had no adverse effects from these drugs.
"Our data support early initiation of statin therapy in FH children, which might yield a larger benefit in the prevention of atherosclerosis later in life," said Barbara A. Hutten, PhD, senior author and an investigator at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/08/27/hlbf0827.htm.
