'Ultrabad' cholesterol is identified

A NEW form of "ultrabad" cholesterol that increases the risk of heart disease has been identified.

The fatty material is stickier than normal "bad" cholesterol, making it more likely to attach to artery walls. It is especially common in people with the most common form of type 2 diabetes and the elderly.

Harmful cholesterol helps create the fatty plaque deposits in arteries that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

The new type of cholesterol, called MGmin-LDL, has sugary molecules that are smaller and denser than the normal type.

Its altered shape exposes regions that readily stick to artery walls, providing a starting point for the build-up of plaques.

The discovery, made by scientists at the University of Warwick, may explain why the widely prescribed diabetes drug metformin appears to reduce heart attack risk.

The research is reported in the journal Diabetes.

Study leader Dr Naila Rabbani said: "We're excited to see our research leading to a greater understanding of this type of cholesterol, which seems to cause heart disease in diabetics and elderly people.

"The next challenge is to tackle this more dangerous type of cholesterol with treatments that could help neutralise its harmful effects on patients' arteries."