Uses
It is used in diseases featuring high LDL, such as the rare homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, when the heterozygous form does not respond to medical treatment, or when the treatment has led to dangerous side-effects (such as rhabdomyolysis).
The procedure takes 2-4 hours and must be repeated every several weeks to keep the LDL levels from accumulation and causing cardiovascular disease.
It is an expensive procedure, limiting its use to severe cases of hyperlipidemia.
Read more about this topic: LDL Apheresis