[Heparin-induced extracorporeal LDL precipitation (HELP): a new therapeutic intervention in cerebrovascular diseases and peripheral arterial occlusive disease].

Coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral arterial disease are the major causes for death and disability in industrialized countries. These diseases have a common cause: Their development is based on atherosclerotic changes of blood vessels, induced by risk factors such as elevated values of lipoproteins and fibrinogen. There is no doubt that the risk factors mentioned above are even related to a dramatically deterioration of the hemorheologic pattern, thus reducing perfusion. Due to this massage there are attempts to treat ischemia via hemorheological intervention. Although a number of different methods is available--hemodilution, defibrinogenation or oral medication--it was not possible to improve the hemorheologic pattern fast, safe, and efficient to date. A new treatment modality, utilizing the heparin-induced extracorporeal LDL precipitation (HELP), now offers the possibility to obtain therapeutical success not only in cases of severe hypercholesterolemia but even in the field of hemorheology: Using HELP a safe and rapid reduction of lipid fractions and fibrinogen has become feasible, thus providing an acute improvement of red cell aggregation and filterability of blood cells, whole blood and plasma viscosity and thereby of microcirculation. As it is known that cerebrovascular diseases are related to disturbances of the hemorheological situation, the HELP system is used at the Department of Neurology, Karl-Franzens University of Graz, for the treatment of acute stroke, cerebral multi-infarct disease but even in cases of peripheral arterial disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)