Lescol XL for Reduction of Cholesterol - Essay Example

More frequently, however, this condition is better termed as hyperlipidemia or high serum lipid levels. Hyperlipidemia is a major cause of atherosclerosis and atherosclerosis-associated conditions, such as coronary heart disease (CHD), ischemic cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral vascular disease, where excess lipid is deposited in the arterial walls of different parts of the body, and this lipid is peroxidized to form atherosclerotic plaques. The anatomic narrowing of the arterial lumen compromises the blood flow in the area distal to the location of the plaque buildup, and if the artery happens to be a major end artery, there is always a chance of critical ischemia leading to adverse clinical events such as myocardial infarction, such as occurs in heart.

However, in general this drug is indicated for hyperlipidemia and heterozygous familial high cholesterol levels in the serum. High levels of cholesterol in the blood have been long acknowledged as the prime pathophysiological culprit that causes atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and peripheral vascular disease. . One of the major functions of the liver in lipid metabolism is lipoprotein synthesis. The four major classes of circulating plasma lipoproteins are chylomicrons, very low density lipoproteins (VLDLs), low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), and high-density lipoproteins (HDLs).

Dyslipidemia, including hyperlipidemia or hypercholesterolemia and low levels of high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), are major causes of increased atherogenic risk. It has been observed that both genetic disorders and lifestyle associated problems, such as, sedentary behavior and diets high in calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol, contribute to the dyslipidemias. The disease process is known as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a process of progressive lipid accumulation and calcification of the inner arterial walls in the abdominal aorta, lower extremities and the arteries of the heart, brain and kidneys.

These lipid depositions contain and the most important single factor for their development is a high plasma concentration of total cholesterol, in particular a high concentration of LDL (Canto, J.G., and Iskandrian, A.E., 2003). It is very typical for these patients to have a high total cholesterol concentration in the blood plasma, a dangerously high LDL, and a low HDL fraction in fasting plasma. The atherosclerotic patient often also has a high total triglyceride concentration. Large atherosclerotic plaques narrow the arterial lumen and produce arterial stenosis with reduced blood flow.

Insufficient oxygen delivery to the tissue is called ischaemic hypoxia, and hypoxic pains develop as in angina pectoris and intermittent claudication. Total occlusion of the arterial lumen is caused by a thrombus