USP San Camilo, first private Center that incorporates the therapeutic apheresis for Familial Hypercholesterolemia to their services.

Madrid, July 2012.- it is estimated that in Spain about 8 and a half million people suffer from high cholesterol. For the most part, cholesterol levels can be controlled by proper diet, exercise, and medication.

But in cases in not shown an adequate response to the drugs when the person has changed their habits, now there is a solution in the therapeutic apheresis ”, explains Dr. Antonio García Donaire, expert in cardiovascular risk of Hospital USP San Camilo in Madridit premieres this novel treatment in the field of private health care in Spain Profile of the patient therapeutic apheresis candidate is one who suffers from Familial Hypercholesterolemia, which does not respond to conventional treatments: leads a healthy life, eat balanced, physical exercise and health on prescription. But your body does not respond and continues to have levels of LDL – bad cholesterol – in blood that pose a danger to your cardiovascular health ”, highlights the expert who estimated at 80,000-100,000 people suffering from this disease in Spain and many of them are not treated properly ”.

La hipercolesterolemia familiar es un trastorno genético hereditario que hace que el cuerpo no pueda eliminar por sí mismo la lipoproteína de baja densidad (colesterol LDL) de la sangre. LDL cholesterol levels increase causing a propensity to suffer from heart disease and cardiovascular accidents in even young people. If the hypercholesterolemia is not treated with alternative measures, these patients suffer from a worsening of his blood disease which affects the risk of death, a deterioration in their quality of life and a high health cost ”, explains Dr. García Donaire.

what is the therapeutic apheresis?

The Apheresis is a clinical procedure which consists of separate components of blood. Therapeutic apheresis is a new treatment for patients with high cholesterol that contributes to improving their health and quality of life. It is carried out by automatic devices specifically designed for this function ”, emphasizes Dr. García Donaire, who details that this technique ensures that lipids containing blood, so that the cholesterol lies within appropriate limits and to avoid cardiovascular accidents are reduced in a session ”.

Therapeutic apheresis is a safe and painless treatment that is carried out by a machine that performs an extracorporeal circulation of blood, in which transit is going through some filtering columns that hold excess lipids. The process takes about two-three hours and sessions are performed on an outpatient basis, without requiring login.

Una vez finalizada la sesión puede hacer su vida normal pero con la tranquilidad y la confianza de que su colesterol ha descendido a niveles adecuados. It is verified that the LDL reduction is around 73 per cent after an aferetica session. The frequency of the sessions are established specialist taking into account the characteristics and history of each patient ”, the expert concludes.

The treatment, especially suitable for people who have high cholesterol have other risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, smoking, stress, etc., has been in more than 100,000 patients in the world, including United States, Germany and United Kingdom.

On USP hospital

Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Madrid, USP hospital is the first hospital group in the Spanish market. Currently, USP hospital boasts a network of 12 hospitals, 23 health centres and 4,000 doctors who serve more than two million patients annually. In 2011 the company recorded 327.261 clinical stays, 125.076 surgery, 9.952 births and 506.759 emergency.