High cholesterol is one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease and stroke, two of the leading causes of death around the world.
Although cholesterol is often seen as something harmful, the body actually needs it to survive. It is used to build healthy cells, make hormones, produce vitamin D, and help digest food. The problem begins when cholesterol levels become too high, especially low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is commonly known as “bad” cholesterol.
LDL cholesterol can slowly build up inside the walls of blood vessels. Over many years, these fatty deposits form plaque, which makes the arteries narrower and less flexible.
As blood flow becomes restricted, the heart has to work harder to pump blood around the body. If a plaque suddenly breaks open, it can trigger a blood clot that blocks blood flow completely. This may lead to a heart attack or stroke.
To lower this risk, doctors often prescribe medicines called statins. These drugs reduce the amount of cholesterol made by the liver and have been used safely for decades.
Statins have helped millions of people lower their LDL cholesterol and reduce their chances of developing serious heart disease. For many patients, they remain the first choice for treatment.
However, statins are not the right solution for everyone. Some people develop muscle pain, joint pain, or other side effects that make it difficult to continue taking them. Others are unable to lower their cholesterol enough even when taking the highest recommended dose. These patients often need another treatment option to better protect their heart health.
A newer medicine called bempedoic acid may offer an important alternative. Researchers recently reported encouraging results showing that the drug can lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of serious heart problems in people who cannot tolerate statins.
The findings were presented at ENDO 2023, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, one of the world’s largest endocrinology conferences.
The results came from the large CLEAR Outcomes Trial, which focused on people who had stopped taking statins because of side effects. Researchers wanted to know whether bempedoic acid could provide similar heart protection without causing the same problems.
The study found that people taking bempedoic acid lowered their LDL cholesterol by about 21%. Even more importantly, their risk of major heart-related events, such as heart attacks and other cardiovascular complications, fell by 13%. Further analysis suggested that the overall heart-protective benefits were similar to those seen with statin therapy.
Bempedoic acid works differently from statins. Like statins, it reduces cholesterol production in the liver, but it is activated mainly inside the liver rather than in muscles. Because of this, scientists believe it may cause fewer muscle-related side effects, making it a useful option for people who cannot comfortably take statins.
Dr. A. Michael Lincoff, one of the lead researchers, said having several effective cholesterol-lowering treatments is important because heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Not every patient responds to medicines in the same way, so having more choices allows doctors to create treatment plans that better fit each person’s needs.
The researchers stress that patients should not stop taking their current cholesterol medicine without first speaking with their doctor. Statins continue to be highly effective for most people, and bempedoic acid is intended mainly for those who cannot tolerate statins or who need additional cholesterol lowering.
Along with medication, healthy daily habits remain essential. Eating a balanced diet, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking, controlling blood pressure and diabetes, and attending regular medical check-ups all play important roles in protecting heart health.
The CLEAR Outcomes Trial adds to growing evidence that new treatments can help reduce the burden of heart disease. As scientists continue developing better medicines, patients who have struggled to control their cholesterol may soon have more safe and effective options than ever before.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and calcium supplements could harm your heart health.
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