HITCHREDUCE is a trial designed to lower LDL cholesterol by reducing the amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream.
It was developed by a team at the University of Nottingham and the University College London.
The drugs were originally designed to help people with high cholesterol who were at risk of heart attack.
However, some people with cholesterol problems, particularly those with high triglycerides, also had a problem lowering their LDL cholesterol.
So, the team looked at whether lowering LDL cholesterol could help patients with normal cholesterol.
“The primary aim of our trial is to determine if there is any benefit from lowering LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol by lowering the amount in the blood,” Dr Hatton said.
“If there is benefit, it would be of great benefit to people with normal or high cholesterol.”
The researchers say it was a surprise that lowering LDL in people with a normal cholesterol level could help reduce cholesterol.
The drug is currently being tested in people aged between 40 and 80.
It is likely to be on the market in a few years time.
HITCHED UP FOR SOME THE HITCH trial: Is this a good or bad thing?
The drug could be used for people who have a low LDL cholesterol but who also have some other risk factors, including diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
However Dr Hatter said it was important to know whether lowering cholesterol alone was a good thing or not.
“We know that lowering cholesterol can be effective and if it can lower LDL it may be a better treatment for people with LDL-cholesterol than if it is only effective in lowering LDL,” she said.
Hatter added that there was not a lot of evidence on whether lowering the levels of HDL (good cholesterol) or LDL (bad cholesterol) could be more effective than lowering LDL, but she said this was important information to be aware of.
“It is certainly possible that lowering HDL and lowering LDL is more effective in reducing cholesterol than lowering total cholesterol and LDL,” Dr Kellar said.
The researchers said the results of their trial were preliminary and that more research was needed before people could be given the drugs.
“Our primary aim is to make this treatment available as quickly as possible to people in the UK and Europe so that we can get this drug into the market as soon as possible,” Dr Wylie said.
What is a reduction in LDL?
In the trial, the researchers looked at people with type 2 diabetes who were trying to lower their cholesterol by taking a beta-blocker.
This drug, called vedolizumab, lowers the amount and concentration of cholesterol and triglycerides in the body.
However people with diabetes also had elevated triglycerides.
People who took vedolic were less likely to get the drugs results, and had lower LDL levels than people who did not take vedols.
The study was published in the journal Diabetes Care.
The findings have prompted concerns from health professionals about the safety of the drugs and the potential risks.
The trials trial has been published in The Lancet Diabetes Care journal.
