A significant milestone has been recorded in a three-way collaboration between Semmelweis University, the government and pharma firm Novartis Hungary with the establishment of an innovative Lipid Management Center to advance the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The university, the Ministry of Culture and Innovation and Technology, and Novartis Hungary Ltd. signed a tripartite cooperation agreement in spring 2022 that aims to enhance the role of healthcare and digital-technical innovation in public health. The three pillars of the framework are the digitalization of clinical research and increasing access to it, securing Hungary’s leading role in cell and gene therapies, and launching a national cardiovascular public health program.
A significant proportion of cardiovascular diseases are caused by atherosclerosis. This group of diseases includes heart attacks and strokes. In Hungary, every second death related to cardiovascular disease is due to atherosclerosis. In contrast, in the European Union, every third death can be attributed to this group of diseases, meaning Hungary is disproportionately affected.
Evidence strongly suggests that “bad cholesterol,” more formally known as LDL cholesterol, plays a crucial role in atherosclerosis. Elevated levels of LDL cholesterol lead to the calcification and narrowing of the arteries, potentially resulting in heart attacks or strokes. It is well known that effectively lowering cholesterol levels can prevent, or even reverse, the narrowing of the arteries and thus prevent strokes or heart attacks.
LDL cholesterol levels are influenced primarily by genetic factors and lifestyle. According to evidence-based international professional recommendations, cardiovascular diseases caused by atherosclerosis can be effectively prevented by reducing LDL cholesterol levels to specific target values. Today, revolutionary and highly effective drugs are available to lower bad cholesterol levels, but lifestyle changes are equally important.
As part of the triparty cooperation, the Semmelweis Lipid Center was established with a dual purpose. The first goal involves data analysis, mapping representative cholesterol levels across Hungary by region, gender, age subgroup, and existing comorbidities. The essence is to identify patient groups most at risk from atherosclerosis.
In addition, by examining the LDL cholesterol levels of several thousand heart attack patients visiting the Városmajor Heart and Vascular Clinic at Semmelweis University, researchers plan to map correlations that allow for new interventions to be implemented as soon as possible to achieve the international professional recommendation targets for LDL cholesterol levels more effectively.
Prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases are essential as these diseases affect one in five people in Hungary and cause the deaths of about 60,000 people here annually.
“The second goal of the Semmelweis Lipid Center is to examine the effectiveness of a new, unique, comprehensive approach targeting patients proven to suffer from coronary artery calcification,” notes university rector Merkely. “In our center, based on a carefully developed protocol, patients not only receive combined, innovative drug therapy but also personalized lifestyle, dietary, and psychological counseling. Our goal is to examine how much we can reduce the calcification of the neck, leg, and coronary arteries within two years with this approach,” he adds.
The fact that Hungary assumes the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union for six months on July 1 provides an excellent opportunity to extend the exemplary lipid treatment research project of Semmelweis University and Novartis to the EU level, those involved say.
Source: Budapest Business Journal
