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Published on: November 10, 2017
Major Concepts in Treatment with Bempedoic Acid and Inclisiran that Clinicians Need To Know
Johnathon Seth Parham1, Anne Carol Goldberg2
1Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid Research, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid, Campus Box 8127, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA. j.s.parham@wustl.edu.
Purpose Of Review:
There have been recent developments of novel therapeutic agents for lipid lowering. This article reviews treatment concepts for two of the newest lipid-lowering medications.
Recent Findings:
Bempedoic acid inhibits adenosine citrate lyase, decreasing intracellular lipogenesis. This oral medication is a prodrug and requires activation by enzymes present in hepatocytes but absent in the skeletal muscle. Clinical trials demonstrated additive benefit with statin therapy, and it was well tolerated in statin-intolerant populations. Inclisiran uses RNA interference to prevent translation of PCSK9 mRNA. Due to its stability, it can be given as an injection every 6 months and produces consistent, durable, and potent cholesterol lowering. Bempedoic acid and inclisiran represent new avenues of treatment for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. This will allow for more comprehensive care by addressing challenges with medication adherence, such as adverse effects to prior medications as well as ease of dosing.
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