Use and effectiveness of PCSK-9 inhibitors in heart diseases: A review

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin type-9 (PCSK-9) inhibitors are increasingly used for hypercholesterolemia.
• Their role in managing cardiac complications remains under investigation and is a subject of debate.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize findings from clinical trials on PCSK-9 inhibitors in heart disease patients.
• To discuss the current pharmacotherapy landscape of these agents within cardiovascular medicine.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive search of ClinicalTrials.gov was performed for studies on PCSK-9 inhibitors and heart diseases up to January 19th, 2024.
• Data from eligible trials were manually extracted, categorized, and analyzed.
• Twelve studies involving 27,700 patients met the inclusion criteria, with Alirocumab and Evolocumab being the most common agents.

Main Results:

• The review identified a limited number of clinical trials evaluating PCSK-9 inhibitors specifically in heart disease populations.
• The majority of the included studies were conducted in the United States.

Conclusions:

• Current evidence on the effectiveness of PCSK-9 inhibitors in heart disease patients is based on a small number of trials.
• Further large-scale, randomized controlled clinical trials are recommended to establish the definitive role of PCSK-9 inhibitors in managing cardiac complications.