[PCSK9 inhibitors; who benefits from these new cholesterol-lowering drugs?]

PCSK9 inhibitors are monoclonal antibodies that target the protein PCSK9. These drugs (alirocumab and evolcumab) are a new generation of cholesterol-lowering agents for patients with a very high risk of cardiovascular disease. They lower the LDL cholesterol concentration by approximately 50% in comparison with placebo, thereby lowering the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke and cardiovascular death in high-risk patients. Due to their high cost and the cost-effectiveness, there are strict conditions for reimbursement for these agents in the Netherlands. PCSK9 inhibitors can be given to high-risk patients in whom, despite maximal medicinal therapy with statins and ezetimibe, the target level of LDL cholesterol cannot be reached. This article gives an overview of the efficacy and the safety of PCSK9 inhibitors, and of their use in the Netherlands.