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Published on: November 10, 2017
Antihyperlipidemic Treatment Options in Statin Resistance and Intolerance
Alexandrina Danilov1, William H Frishman2, Wilbert S Aronow2
1From the New York Medical College.
Insights
For patients with hypercholesterolemia, statins are first-line treatments. This review details non-statin therapies for those resistant or intolerant to statins, offering personalized cholesterol reduction strategies.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading global cause of mortality.
- Hypercholesterolemia significantly contributes to CVD, with lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels providing greater protection.
- Statins are primary treatments for hypercholesterolemia, but resistance and intolerance limit their use.
Approach:
- This review examines current non-statin antihyperlipidemic therapies.
- It focuses on options for patients with statin resistance or intolerance.
- Emerging research and novel therapeutic areas are also discussed.
Key Points:
- Non-statin therapies include ezetimibe and PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies.
- Numerous other non-statin options are available and under development.
- Personalized treatment approaches are crucial for complex patients.
Conclusions:
- Effective cholesterol management beyond statins is essential for CVD prevention.
- Non-statin therapies offer vital alternatives for statin-resistant/intolerant individuals.
- Ongoing research promises expanded therapeutic options for hypercholesterolemia.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular disease is the global leading cause of death and hypercholesterolemia is implicated as one of its top contributors. Moreover, there is growing recognition that lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels offer greater protection against cardiovascular disease. Statins are the first-line lipid-lowering agents for both primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in patients with hypercholesterolemia. However, statin resistance and intolerance lead to undertreatment in patients who would likely derive the most benefit from antihyperlipidemic drugs. Several non-statin therapies are increasingly prescribed to such patients, most commonly ezetimibe and the PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies, but numerous other options have been developed in recent years and investigations into new therapies are ongoing. The use of these non-statin therapies requires the clinician to take a highly personalized approach to cholesterol reduction in complex patients. In this review, we describe current non-statin options for statin-resistant and statin-intolerant patients in addition to areas of active research.
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