- High cholesterol, particularly high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, or ‘bad cholesterol’), increases the risk of heart disease.
- Some people have a hereditary condition that results in very high levels of LDL-C.
- A new study has used an intravenous infusion to turn off a gene that controls blood LDL-C, resulting in a significant reduction in LDL-C in people with one copy of the gene.
- The researchers suggest that this gene-editing technique could provide long-term treatment for high LDL-C in people with this inherited risk.
High cholesterol is a common issue worldwide. According to the
In the United States, around
However, too much low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, or “bad” cholesterol) is a risk factor for heart disease.
As well as age, type 2 diabetes and obesity, lifestyle factors, such as a diet high in
For some people, raised LDL-C has a genetic cause. Around one in 250 people have an inherited condition,
Currently, treatment for familial hypercholesterolemia is daily statins or injections every few weeks to inhibit the activity of a gene,
However,
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