VOA标准英语2011--Study: New Drug Boosts 'Good' Cholesterol

Study: New Drug Boosts 'Good' Cholesterol¹

A new drug raises "good" cholesterol by as much as 130 percent, according to a new study.

Drugs called statins are already taken daily around the world to help lower LDL, or "bad" cholesterol. Cholesterol is a fat that we need, but there are different types. LDL is a sticky substance which can cause blockages² that can lead to a heart attack when too much of it builds up in the walls of blood vessels³.

Doctors have been looking for a way to raise so-called "good" cholesterol, called HDL, to further prevent heart disease.

"Many patients, even though their 'bad' cholesterol has been lowered, continue to have heart attacks, strokes and other complications from abnormal cholesterol levels," says Dr. Steven Nissen, a leading researcher on heart disease at the Cleveland Clinic.

Nissen's search for a medication that raises "good" HDL cholesterol, to protect against heart disease, has focused on a drug called evacetrapib.

In a recent study almost 400 participants were given this medication alone or combined with a statin. Some received just statins or a placebo⁴. The doctors then evaluated the participants' cholesterol.

"This new drug was able to raise levels of "good" cholesterol, of HDL cholesterol by nearly 130 percent," says Nissen. "The drug was also able to lower levels of the bad cholesterol LDL by 36 percent."

Researchers say the goal is to add this new medication to statin drugs. But more research needs to be done before the drug can be approved.

"In order to be approved we need to know not only whether the drug raises good cholesterol, lowers bad cholesterol," says Nissen, "but whether it also prevents those complications of having a high cholesterol, death, stroke, heart attack and related complications."

1 cholesterol   

n.（U）胆固醇

参考例句：

• There is cholesterol in the cell of body.人体细胞里有胆固醇。
• They are determining the serum-protein and cholesterol levels.他们正在测定血清蛋白和胆固醇的浓度。

2 blockages   

n.堵塞物( blockage的名词复数 )；堵塞，阻塞

参考例句：

• The storms could increase the risks posed by river blockages. 暴风雨会增加因河道堵塞所造成的危险。 来自互联网
• An angiogram shows the location and severity of blockages in blood vessels. 冠状动脉造影能够显示血管内的阻塞位置以及阻塞的严重程度。 来自互联网

3 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 placebo   

n.安慰剂；宽慰话

参考例句：

• The placebo has been found to work with a lot of different cases.人们已发现安慰剂能在很多不同的病例中发挥作用。
• The placebo effect refers to all the observable behaviors caused by placebo.安慰剂效应是指由安慰剂所引起的可观察的行为。