Nicotinic acid blocks immune cells in atherosclerosis
Monday, February 7, 2011 - 12:02
in Health & Medicine
Nearly all cardiac infarctions and around half of all strokes are caused by atherosclerosis. An early treatment of atherosclerosis is therefore crucial to preventing cardiovascular diseases. Stefan Offermanns team of scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research has now demonstrated that the anti-atherosclerosis drug nicotinic acid halts the inflammation of blood vessels. Previously it had been assumed that nicotinic acid mostly alleviates atherosclerosis by reducing the concentration of LDL cholesterol and by boosting HDL cholesterol in the blood plasma.