Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science, Tech Xplore covers the latest engineering, electronics and technology advances, Science X Network offers the most comprehensive sci-tech news coverage on the web. This study raises the prospect of a possible new treatment to reduce LDL cholesterol for people who have not responded well to statins alone. The content is provided for information purposes only. The researchers wanted to see if adding bempedoic acid to the treatment regime of people who had high LDL cholesterol, despite receiving the maximum dose of statins, would help reduce LDL levels in the blood. the Louisville Metabolic and Atherosclerosis Research Center "Overall, these latest studies show that not only is the treatment generally well-tolerated being comparable with placebo, and potentially safe over longer periods, but that when added to high intensity statin treatment it can help to further reduce LDL cholesterol levels. Professor Kausik Ray, from Imperial College London's School of Public Health, who led the study, said: "We know that reducing your cholesterol levels is key to cutting the risk of heart attack and stroke, particularly if you already have established heart disease. No. The trial has strengths in its large size and relatively long follow-up for safety. Bempedoic acid has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and appears safe over the course of 1 year. "Our latest study shows that bempedoic acid could be another addition to the arsenal of cholesterol-lowering treatments available to patients. Drug Name Active Ingredient Approval Date FDA-approved use … Menu However, the number of people experiencing side effects that led to them stopping the drug was slightly higher in the bempedoic acid group (10.9% compared with 7.1% in the placebo group). By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. However, bempedoic acid is not currently a licensed treatment. Citation: New cholesterol-lowering drug could help patients unable to take statins (2019, March 13) retrieved 24 November 2020 This document is subject to copyright. THURSDAY, March 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- People whose high cholesterol is resistant to treatment with statin drugs may soon have a new treatment option. Science X Daily and the Weekly Email Newsletter are free features that allow you to receive your favorite sci-tech news updates in your email inbox, Among heart attack survivors, drug reduces chances of second heart attack or stroke, 'Turncoat' macrophages in the tumor 'micro-environment' underlie breast cancer progression, Immune responses during embryo development could increase risk of schizophrenia, Using haptic feedback to improve enhanced force control of piano keystrokes in elite players, Stanford team creates cellular atlas of the human lung, Australian study suggests true COVID-19 infection rate is 6.2 times higher than official tallies (Update). The benefit was identical to that expected though blocking the enzyme targeted by statins when individuals were matched for change in cholesterol. The FDA has approved two new non-statin drugs that clinical trials indicated can help reduce high cholesterol. Nexletol is a daily pill approved for people with a genetic predisposition for high cholesterol and for heart disease patients who need to further reduce their bad cholesterol. This study adds to the research looking for new cholesterol-lowering treatments when statins either don't work or cause undesirable side effects. Secondly, they wanted to see if the level of LDL cholesterol changed from the beginning of the trial to week 12. 14 March 2019. However, there are some important points to be aware of: Overall the results seem promising, but it remains to be seen whether bempedoic acid will become a licensed cholesterol-lowering treatment. (UPDATED) The US Food and Drug Administration has approved bempedoic acid (Nexletol) an oral, once-daily, non-statin LDL cholesterol (LDL-C)-lowering medicine for the treatment of adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) or established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) who require additional lowering of LDL-C, the drug’s maker, Esperion, announced on February … This document is subject to copyright. New cholesterol-lowering drug could be an alternative to statins The drug reduced LDL cholesterol, but there was no difference in the number of heart attacks and strokes over 1 year; so we don't know for sure it will reduce risk of cardiovascular problems. The study was published in the peer-reviewed medical journal the New England Journal of Medicine. The most recent of these was CLEAR Wisdom, presented at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2019 Scientific Session, showing that the addition of bempedoic acid to maximally tolerated statin therapy significantly lowered LDL-C by 15.1% at 12 weeks; it also lowered total cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, non-HDL cholesterol, and C-reactive protein levels.