Cardiovascular disease management redefined

Zuellig Pharma Corporation, through its partnership with Amgen Philippines Inc., aims to help improve awareness of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) with educational initiatives to achieve the goal of changing the way the disease is managed and prevented.

Getting the right connection can be the key in preventing and predicting devastating health events like a heart attack.  In fact, family support and connections are key to helping patients impacted by health challenges.  When equipped with more information about cardiovascular diseases such as hyperlipidemia, family members can help patients take action to prevent health risks and overcome their conditions better.

Based on PSA, there are over 130,000 deaths in the Philippines related to Cardiovascular disease in 2016.  CVD is a complex disease with many risk factors that affects how it develops.  One such risk is dyslipidemia, which occurs when one has abnormal levels of lipids in the blood.  Lipids, or fats, are essential in providing energy to the cells while cholesterol is vital in the production of hormones and bile acids for healthy digestion.

There are two kinds of cholesterol in the body: “Bad” cholesterol and “good” cholesterol.  Elevated bad cholesterol, also known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), in the blood increases a person’s risk of developing atherosclerotic plaque deposits which can block the arteries and lead to a heart attack or stroke.  Lowering LDL-C also lowers a person’s chances of developing CVD.

The problem is, we don’t see any obvious symptoms when someone has already reached a high level of ‘bad’ cholesterol unless laboratory tests were done.  That makes it alarming though, since a stroke or a heart attack could be fatal.

The standard treatment for lowering LDL-C are statins, but there are cases when statins are not enough.  Having access to new and innovative treatments in the management of dyslipidemia can make a difference for patients who are not able to achieve their lipid goals with statin alone.

With the patient at the heart of what we do, Amgen Philippines Inc. and Zuellig Pharma Corporation are committed to improving the lives of patients struggling with dyslipidemia by helping them and their families to take the necessary action to prevent and manage their health risks.