The Royal Victoria Hospital is appealing for volunteers for a research study into cholesterol lowering which they hope will help achieve a better understanding of the treatment of heart disease.

‘Cholesterol and heart disease are major health issues in Northern Ireland’, says Dr Brona Loughrey, who is co-ordinating the study.

‘Statin drugs are the cornerstone of treatment for high cholesterol and have been proven to reduce deaths from heart attacks and strokes in population studies. Recommendations for statin prescribing are currently limited to people who are at high risk of, or who have had, a heart attack. However, there is some clinical evidence showing the benefits of statins even for people who are not currently eligible for this type of treatment’, Brona explained.

‘All the participants on the study will be fully screened for cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure,’ added Dr Loughrey.

The project, funded by the Northern Ireland Health and Personal Social Services Research and Development Office, will run for two years; however participants will only be asked to be involved for six weeks. Volunteers will be asked to take either the drug atorvastatin or a non-active placebo tablet. They will be invited to come to the Diabetes Centre to give a blood sample before starting, another one week into treatment, and then again at the end of treatment.

To take part in the study, men should have a waist size of 36 inches or more and women should be a dress size 16 or over. Volunteers should not be taking any cholesterol-lowering treatment.

Anyone interested in participating in the study should contact Dr Loughrey on (028) 9063 5301 or email brona.loughrey1@belfasttrust.hscni.net.

ENDS

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