Dtsch Arztebl Int
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Editorial Comment Review
Familial hypercholesterolemia: developments in diagnosis and treatment.
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a congenital disorder of lipid metabolism characterized by a marked elevation of the plasma concentration of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol beginning in childhood and by the early onset of coronary heart disease. It is among the commonest genetic disorders, with an estimated prevalence in Germany of at least 1 per 500 persons. ⋯ Familial hypercholesterolemia is a common disease that can be diagnosed simply and reliably on clinical grounds and by molecular genetic testing. Timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment can lower the risk of atherosclerosis in heterozygous patients to that of the general population.
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Clinical Trial
Breast cancer morbidity: questionnaire survey of patients on the long term effects of disease and adjuvant therapy.
Many women have symptoms of various kinds after being treated for breast cancer. It is unclear how frequently these different side effects of treatment arise. ⋯ Treatment for breast cancer has negative physical, emotional, and social effects on many patients. They suffer these effects to varying degrees depending on age, type of surgery, and systemic treatment.
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Comparative Study
An inter-state comparison of cardiovascular risk factors in Germany: towards an explanation of high ischemic heart disease mortality in Saxony-Anhalt.
For years, the state of Saxony-Anhalt has had one of the highest mortality rates from ischemic heart disease among all federal states in Germany. In this article, we provide an overview of the prevalence of known risk factors for ischemic heart disease across the German states and discuss possible artefacts in mortality statistics. ⋯ The high prevalence of risk factors and the unfavorable profile of social factors are consistent with the observed high mortality from ischemic heart disease in Saxony-Anhalt. There is an urgent need for lasting prevention strategies on all levels—societal, behavioral, and clinical.