News
ODYSSEY OUTCOMES analysis targets heart failure
A recent post hoc analysis from ODYSSEY OUTCOMES did not suggest benefit from treatment with alirocumab in heart failure patients (1). The role of statin treatment in patients with heart failure is much debated. Individual randomized controlled trials with statins have been inconclusive, although treatment…
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Long-term evolocumab in people living with HIV
Follow-up data from the BEIJERINCK study show that treatment with evolocumab for up to 1 year was effective in HIV individuals with dyslipidaemia (1). HIV is considered a risk-enhancing factor due to the concomitant presence of underlying infection (chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation, and metabolic abnormalities…
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Introducing another PCSK9 inhibitor – recaticimab
A recent report highlights therapeutic potential for recaticimab, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting PCSK9, with LDL cholesterol reductions ranging from 50-60%, when added to statin therapy (1). Recaticimab (SHR-1209) is the latest PCSK9 monoclonal antibody which has shown efficacy in early clinical trials in healthy…
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Insights from GLAGOV into residual cardiovascular risk
A new analysis from the GLAGOV (The Global Assessment of Plaque Regression With a PCSK9 Antibody as Measured by Intravascular Ultrasound) study reaffirms the importance of multifactorial intervention to address residual cardiovascular risk among high-risk patients attaining very low levels of LDL cholesterol (1). GLAGOV…
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Inclisiran available in the USA from early January 2022
Hot off the Press: Inclisiran available in the USA from early January 2022 In an ad hoc announcement (pursuant to Art. 53 LR), the US Food and Drugs Administration approved the use of inclisiran, the siRNA therapy for hypercholesterolaemia. Inclisiran is the first and only…
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News from FOURIER: Benefit with evolocumab across all vascular territories
In this latest analysis from the FOURIER trial, treatment with evolocumab reduced acute arterial events in coronary, cerebro- and peripheral vascular territories with a robust effect over time. FOURIER (Further Cardiovascular OUtcomes Research With PCSK9 Inhibition in Subjects with Elevated Risk) was a landmark trial…
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More insights from ORION
News from AHA Scientific Sessions 2021 Baseline glycaemic status or body mass index (BMI) did not impact the efficacy of inclisiran, according to two post hoc analyses of the ORION trials. The first poster presentation reported findings from a post hoc analysis of the ORION-10…
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Long-term evinacumab in homozygous FH
News from AHA Scientific Sessions 2021 Evinacumab was the focus of two presentations in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH, inherited high cholesterol). Homozygous FH is a rare genetic lipid disorder, which is characterized by markedly elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels from birth and…
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Combination alirocumab-evinacumab in homozygous FH
News from AHA Scientific Sessions 2021 Combination treatment with alirocumab plus the angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) inhibitor evinacumab, on top of lipid lowering therapy, reduced LDL cholesterol levels by more than 60%, according to a post hoc analysis presented at AHA Scientific Sessions. This report analysed…
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MK-0616: Hope for an oral PCSK9 inhibitor?
News from AHA Scientific Sessions 2021 A novel oral PCSK9 inhibitor, MK-0616, showed substantial reduction in LDL cholesterol levels and was generally well tolerated, according to early trial data. Current PCSK9-directed therapies are undoubtedly effective in lowering LDL cholesterol, against a background of statin-ezetimibe therapy….
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Lipid news from the poster sessions
News from ESC Congress 2021 (Virtual) How common is statin intolerance? The latest findings from a worldwide systematic review and meta-analysis including over 4 million patients indicates a low prevalence of statin intolerance, especially when assessed objectively using recognized international criteria. In this report, the…
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PCSK9-NATURE vindicates targeting LDL cholesterol reduction earlier rather than later
News from ESC Congress 2021 (Virtual) Earlier reduction in LDL cholesterol provides greater lifelong cardiovascular benefit, according to results of PCSK9-NATURE (NATUrally Randomized ‘target’ trial Evaluating a yearly vaccine-like strategy to lower LDL by inhibiting PCSK9 on the lifetime risk of major coronary events), presented…
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Inclisiran effective in patients with polyvascular and cerebrovascular disease
News from ESC Congress 2021 (Virtual). The ESC Congress 2021 featured news from the ORION trials, with subgroup analyses evaluating the efficacy of inclisiran in patients with polyvascular disease (PVD) or cerebrovascular disease. PVD is a particularly malignant atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) associated with an…
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UK NICE approves use of inclisiran: a gamechanger for patients and the NHS
The siRNA inclisiran is approved by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for use in primary care in England. Inclisiran (Leqvio®), given as a twice-yearly injection, is recommended for people with primary hypercholesterolaemia or mixed dyslipidaemia who have had a previous…
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HUYGENS reinforces the importance of intensive lipid lowering after ACS
News from ESC Congress 2021 (Virtual). Lowering LDL cholesterol indisputably reduces cardiovascular events (1). The landmark PCSK9 inhibitor trials demonstrated that incremental lowering of LDL cholesterol against a background of intense statin therapy further reduced cardiovascular events, with no apparent threshold for clinical benefit from…
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No effect on cognitive function with alirocumab
Treatment with alirocumab for up to 96 weeks had no affect on cognitive function, assessed using the CANTAB (Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery) scale, in this study of over 2,000 patients at increased cardiovascular risk (1). PCSK9 monoclonal antibody therapy is highly efficacious in lowering…
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More from FOURIER: Evolocumab effective in Asian patients
A new analysis from the FOURIER (Further Cardiovascular OUtcomes Research With PCSK9 Inhibition in Subjects with Elevated Risk) trial showed that evolocumab was equally effective in lowering the risk of cardiovascular events in Asian and non-Asian patients (1). FOURIER demonstrated that lowering LDL cholesterol levels…
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Are very low lipoprotein(a) levels safe? Insights from the Copenhagen General Population Study
High lipoprotein(a) levels are clearly established as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and aortic valve stenosis (1,2). Recent lipid guidelines have affirmed the importance of measuring lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] in individuals with intermediate risk or with a family or personal history of premature or recurrent…
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Which lipid markers best identify residual risk in statin-treated patients?
LDL cholesterol is undoubtedly the priority lipid target to prevent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Yet even with attainment of very low levels, high risk patients continue to experience cardiovascular events. The question is: which is the best lipid to target this residual risk? The options include…
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Treating high risk cardiovascular disease: Is combination lipid lowering therapy now the rule not the exception?
In 2019 the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) updated their guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemia to prevent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). On the basis of evidence from IMPROVE-IT with ezetimibe and the two landmark PCSK9 inhibitor trials, FOURIER with…
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