H53 -- December 2007 -- Cholesterol Absorbing Machine

Intro: Heart disease is the number one killer in North America. Most of us know that high cholesterol is a major risk factor. Exercise, eating right and medications can help get your cholesterol numbers down. But for some people, none of those things work. Doctors at Mayo Clinic say those people may benefit from a new cholesterol absorbing machine that removes bad cholesterol from your blood.

“I’VE ALWAYS LIKED MOTORCYCLES AND I’VE JUST BEEN RIDING THEM AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER.”

BUT MARTIN HAD TO PUT THE BRAKES ON RIDING WHEN HE HAD A QUADRUPLE BYPASS. HIS ARTERIES WERE BECOMING BLOCKED BECAUSE OF DANGEROUSLY HIGH CHOLESTEROL LEVELS.

“THE HIGHEST I’VE EVER SEEN THEM WAS 380.”

MARTIN TRIED HARD TO BRING THOSE NUMBERS DOWN. HE WAS FIT – HE EXERCISED, ATE RIGHT, AND TOOK CHOLESTEROL LOWERING MEDICATION.

“STILL MY CHOLESTEROL WAS REALLY HIGH.”

YOU SEE, USUALLY YOUR LIVER ABSORBS CHOLESTEROL AND STORES IT, REDUCING LEVELS OF BAD CHOLESTEROL, OR LDL, IN YOUR BLOOD TO WHERE LIFESTYLE CHANGES OR MEDICATIONS CAN MANAGE THEM. MARTIN’S LIVER CAN’T DO THAT.

“THE LDL HAS NO WHERE TO GO BUT TO RECIRCULATE.”

DR. SERGIO TORLONI SAYS THIS MAKES MARTIN’S RISK OF BLOCKED ARTERIES VERY, VERY HIGH. BUT THANKFULLY A MACHINE THAT ABSORBS BAD CHOLESTEROL FROM YOUR BLOOD IS HELPING MARTIN STAY HEART HEALTHY.

“IT’S SIMILAR TO DIALYSIS.”

THE PATIENT’S BLOOD IS SEPARATED BY A FILTER INTO PLASMA AND OTHER COMPONENTS. THE MACHINE ABSORBS THE BAD CHOLESTEROL FROM THE PLASMA. THEN THE PLASMA AND OTHER COMPONENTS ARE MIXED TOGETHER AND PUT BACK IN THE BODY.

“AFTER A PROCEDURE MY LEVELS ARE REALLY LOW. RIGHT WHERE THEY OUGHT TO BE.”

DOWN TO 140. MARTIN’S BLOOD GETS FILTERED ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS. A SMALL INCONVENIENCE FOR LIFE.

FOR MEDICAL EDGE, I’M VIVIEN WILLIAMS.

Anchor tag: Dr. Torloni says this procedure is not right for all patients with high cholesterol. It is almost exclusively used for patients who have a genetic condition (familial hypercholesterolemia) with LDL receptor deficiency. It can also used for those whose levels are above 200 even though they have tried medications to lower them. Pre-approval from the insurance companies is needed. For more information, Visit our Website at …

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