Health Update

Cilostazol, a drug popularly known for preventing the formation of blood clots in the body’s blood vessels, also improves the body’s lipid or cholesterol profile, particularly the high density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides.

HDL is also known as the good type of cholesterol, while triglycerides are fat type which, when increased, can also increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Results of the study published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology showed that 12-week therapy with cilostazol 100mg, increased the HDL by 10 percent. Bad fats’ level, low density lipoprotein and lipoprotein A were not affected.

The triglyceride-lowering cilostazol, according to the study, significantly treats heart disease, particularly for diabetics prone to elevated triglycerides. Diabetes, by itself, is now considered a heart-disease equivalent.

The study results are also significant because current treatment guidelines recommend aggressive cholesterol-lowering and risk-factor changes for individuals with known coronary heart and other diseases of the blood vessels.

Aside from improving the lipid profile of patients, according to earlier studies, cilostazol can improve the symptoms of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a disease which obstructs the arteries in the lower extremities. Intermittent obstruction, the most common PAD symptoms is usually felt pain in the muscles of the legs and thighs when walking, and relieve with rest. It may also be felt as fatigue, numbness, or a camping sensation of the legs after walking a certain distance.

In the United Staes, eight trials were done to test the efficacy of cilostazol versus placebo in the treatment of intermittent obstruction of blood flow. In this trials, patients were either given cilostazol 50 mg 2 tablets bid/day, 100 mg bid/day or placebo for 12 to 24 months. Treadmill tests were done to determine the improvement in walking distances.

Results showed that those taking cilostazol improved in the longest walking distance compared to those given placebo or dummy pills. The maximum walking distance of cilostzol patients improved by 44 to 50 percent compared to the 21 percent improvement achieved by patients takin placebo. Moreover, changes in pain-free walking distance showed a similar pattern to maximal walking distance and were significantly greater for cilostazol patients.

Cilostazol is a prescription medicine and should only be used upon their doctor’s prescription.

Source: Manila Bulletin