Atherosclerosis: Recent trials, new targets and future directions

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Pharmacology
• Clinical Trial Design

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of global mortality.
• Atherosclerosis prevention and treatment are critical for patients with vascular disease or at high risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current pharmacological treatments for atherosclerosis.
• To propose strategies for optimizing future clinical trial design in CVD.

Main Methods:

• Review of contemporary pharmacological agents targeting atherosclerosis.
• Discussion of advanced imaging techniques (IVUS, OCT, PET/CT, PET/MRI) for assessment.
• Exploration of Mendelian randomization studies for identifying causal risk factors.

Main Results:

• Future trials should focus on absolute LDL-cholesterol reduction.
• Including high-risk patients intolerant to statins can yield significant results.
• Advanced imaging may serve as effective surrogate endpoints in clinical trials.

Conclusions:

• Optimizing clinical trial design is crucial for advancing atherosclerosis treatment.
• Novel approaches in patient selection and endpoint assessment will accelerate drug development for CVD.