More news from IMPROVE-IT (IMProved Reduction of Outcomes: Vytorin Efficacy International Trial)

Niki Katsiki, Vasilios G. Athyros, Dimitris P. Mikhailidis

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The IMProved Reduction of Outcomes: Vytorin Efficacy International Trial (IMPROVE-IT) reported a significant reduction in first primary endpoint (PEP) post-acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in patients (n=18,144) on ezetimibe + simvastatin compared with placebo + simvastatin.1 The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in the combination group were significantly lower than in the monotherapy group (53.7 vs 69.5 mg/dl; 1.4 vs 1.8 mmol/l) …

Hormones in pain modulation and their clinical implications for pain control: a critical review

Xueyin Chen, Jinyuan Zhang, Xiangrui Wang

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Recently, more and more studies have found that pain generation, transmission and modulation are under hormonal regulation. Indeed, hormonal dysregulation is a common component of chronic pain syndromes. Studies have attempted to determine whether the relationship between the pain and its perception and hormones is a causative relationship and how these processes interrelate …

Laparoscopic surgery for pancreatic insulinomas: an update

Chrysanthi Aggeli, Alexander M. Nixon,Ioannis Karoumpalis, Gregory Kaltsas, George N. Zografos

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Insulinomas are the most common functioning neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas, occurring in almost 1-4 per 1 million persons each year. In contrast to other pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, they are usually benign and solitary at the time of diagnosis. Due to their benign nature, surgical excision is the treatment of choice, with excellent long-term results. The introduction of minimally invasive techniques in the surgical treatment of insulinoma has been gaining popularity …

Expert consensus on the rational clinical use of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors

Apostolos Achimastos, Theodoros Alexandrides, Dimitrios Alexopoulos, Vasilios Athyros, Alexandra Bargiota, Eleni Bilianou, Christina Chrysochoou, Evridiki Drogari, Moses Elisaf, Emanouel Ganotakis, Ioannis Goudevenos, Ioannis Ioannidis, Genovefa Kolovou, Vasilios Kotsis, Ioannis Lekakis, Evangelos Liberopoulos, Andreas Melidonis, Vasilios Nikolaou, George Ntaios, Nikolaos Papanas, Stavros Pappas, Christos Pitsavos, Loukianos Rallidis, Dimitrios Richter, Ioannis Skoumas, Nicolaos Tentolouris, Dimitrios Tousoulis, Alexandros Tselepis, KonstantinosTsioufis, Dimitrios Tziakas, Konstantinos Tziomalos, Panagiotis Vardas, Charalabos Vlachopoulos, Dimitrios Vlahakos

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Two proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, evolocumab and alirocumab, have recently been approved by both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. These fully human monoclonal antibodies selectively block PCSK9, thus permitting the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor to effectively recycle to the surface of liver cells. The administration of these antibodies leads to robust LDL …

Cardiovascular safety of type 2 diabetes medications: Review of existing literature and clinical implications

Sílvia Paredes, Claudia Matta-Coelho, Ana Margarida Monteiro, Alice Brás, Olinda Marques, Marta Alves, Laura Ribeiro

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Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the cardiovascular effect of antidiabetic drugs are today critical medical issues, with the prevalence of T2DM in particular showing a steep increase worldwide, mainly due to unhealthy lifestyle habits. T2DM in association with obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors, results in the development of CVD, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with T2DM …

Effects of ghrelin in energy balance and body weight homeostasis

Laura Mihalache, Andreea Gherasim, Otilia Niță, Maria Christina Ungureanu, Sergiu Serghei Pădureanu, Radu Sebastian Gavril, Lidia Iuliana Arhire

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Ghrelin is a gut peptide composed of 28 amino acids mostly secreted in the gastric fundus mucosa. It was isolated and described in 1999 by Kojima et al. and only three years later its specific receptor, GHSR1a, was also identified. Ghrelin, the endogenous ligand for the GH secretagogue receptor, is the only peripheral orexigenic hormone that activates the receptors to be found especially in the appetite center (hypothalamus and pituitary gland) …