HAREFIELD Hospital has opened a new unit that washes the cholesterol out of the blood.

An increase in cholesterol and fatty substances inside blood vessels can lead to blockages, which can trigger a heart attack or a stroke.

Many cholesterol problems can be solved by an improved diet, but some people have a genetic predisposition towards it, which no amount of dieting can solve. Without treatment patients may suffer heart problems and die prematurely.

The dedicated unit was opened by chief executive Bob Bell, on Friday at 1pm.

Alison Pottle, Cardiology nurse consultant, who will be spearheading the new unit, said: "We are delighted to be expanding the services that we can offer to our patients, by opening this dedicated unit for LDL Aphersis. It is one of only three of its kind in the UK, which does make it special in the context of national provision."

"The service is not just life saving but also life changing. LDL Aphersis is designed to control the level of bad cholesterol in a patient’s bloodstream, which could otherwise lead to serious heart disease.

"We want to raise the profile of this life-changing treatment, to let many more potential patients know that it is available, and that we at Harefield Hospital have the specialist skills to provide expert care in our new dedicated unit."