Health

PCSK9 Inhibitors – a solution for familial hypercholesterolaemia and ischaemic heart disease?

PCSK9 stands for Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin Kexin type 9 and it was first discovered in 2003[1] by Dr. Seidah et al. and it is a 692-amino acid glycoprotein.[2] PCSK9 is secreted by the liver into the circulation[3] and it controls the “number of low-density lipoprotein receptors (LDLR) on the cell surface”[4] and therefore ultimately the …

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Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

What is Hypoplastic left heart syndrome? Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a rare congenital heart defect which occurs in approximately 1 in 5000 babies. The term ‘hypoplastic’ refers to the underdevelopment of a tissue or an organ. Therefore HLHS involves the underdevelopment, or sometimes absence, of left-sided heart structures. For example, the left ventricle, …

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Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage

Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage – T.A.P.V.D   What is T.A.P.V.D? T.A.P.V.D stands for Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage. It is an incredibly rare congenital heart defect (approximately 1 in 20,000 babies are born with it.) T.A.P.V.D is where the pulmonary veins, which bring oxygenated blood from the lungs and back to the heart, don’t …

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