Apheresis

Lipoprotein apheresis is a selective lipid-lowering extracorporeal treatment where atherogenic apo-B100-containing lipoproteins are removed from circulation. The successful use of plasma exchange (plasmapheresis) to treat homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) was first described in 1975. Lipoprotein apheresis is now accepted as the treatment of choice for patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia and for heterozygotes with cardiovascular disease refractory to lipid-lowering drug therapy. This book discusses topics that include methods used for apheresis, the different forms of the disease, and potential complications that may occur.