Centre of Atherosclerosis and Lipid Disorders

Asiiat Alieva, MD, PhD
Head of Centre, Researcher at the Research Laboratory for Epidemiology of NCDs

Various activities undertaken by the Centre of Atherosclerosis and Lipid Disorders (the Lipid Centre) functionally involve the cooperation of the specialists of the Heart and Vessels Institute, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Biobanking Research Group, Department for Clinical Trials and Evidence-Based Medicine.

Major activities

The Centre of Atherosclerosis and Lipid Disorders conducts clinical, research and educational activities related to complex lipid disorders.

Objectives

• Conducting basic and applied research aimed at solving challenges in lipid disorders, including maintaining an expanded research protocol for patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.
• Maintaining a registry of patients with hereditary lipid disorders, holding medical commissions by an expert board to arrange for preferential provision of lipid-lowering drugs according to indications for a category of patients with high cardiovascular risk.
• Organizing and holding educational events for doctors and patients in order to present relevant information about the key principles of treatment of lipid disorders and the latest advances in lipidology.

Clinical activities

At the Diagnostic Centre, our specialists receive patients:

• with severe hypercholesterolemia, including hereditary forms requiring additional examination, choosing the optimal tactics of patient management,
• with an early history of cardiovascular disease,
• with intolerance to lipid-lowering therapy.

Patients with suspected familial hypercholesterolemia undergo an in-depth examination, including genetic and cascade screening in the presence of indications determined by a specialist of the Lipid Centre.

International collaboration

• In 2018, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Almazov Centre and the University of Milan.
• Since 2019, together with the Institute of Experimental Medicine, a project has been launched to create and study experimental mouse models of atherosclerosis (LDLR, PCSK9, LDLR + PCSK9 variants).
• Since 2019, the Lipid Centre has been conducting a research protocol “In-depth examination of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia” with genetic testing, assessment of traditional and new markers of subclinical atherosclerosis to allow for making a comprehensive diagnosis, including genetic and cascade screening, if indicated (Extract No. 22082019 from Meeting No. 08-19 of the Ethics Committee of Almazov Centre on August 12, 2019).

News

Professor Alberico L. Catapano from the University of Milan, Italy visits Almazov Centre

Professor Alberico L. Catapano awarded with the Visiting Professor title