Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels should be lowered as much as possible to prevent cardiovascular disease, especially in high and very high-risk patients. That’s one of the main messages of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and European
Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) Guidelines on dyslipidemia highlighted by Professor Alberico L. Catapano, Chairperson of the guidelines Task Force and professor of pharmacology at the Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Italy during a webinar titled “Intensification Strategies with Lipid-lowering Treatment.” Organized by Organon Philippines,
Dyslipidemia is the imbalance of lipids such as cholesterol, LDL-C, triglycerides or a type of fat in your blood that your body uses for energy, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol. This condition can result from diet, tobacco exposure, or genetics, leading to severe complications of cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVDs can include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and other heart and blood vessel disorders.
Prof. Catapano shared evidence from experimental, epidemiological, genetic studies, and randomized clinical trials that higher LDL cholesterol is a potent cause of heart attack and stroke.
Statins are the first-line therapeutic approach for cardiovascular disease in patients with increased cholesterol levels or a generally increased risk of coronary heart disease.
However, some patients cannot attain LDL-C goals, even with high-intensity statins, and those patients may experience more side effects in the liver and muscle from drug metabolism and clearance.
However, combining other drugs can help address this concern. Ezetimibe has been available to low cholesterol levels as a selective cholesterol absorption inhibitor. Numerous studies have demonstrated the significant LDL-C lowering ability and cardiovascular events prevention effect of ezetimibe-statin combination therapy.
“Lowering LDL-C with statins, ezetimibe, or PCSK9 inhibitors is safe and effective. The intensity of LDL-lowering therapy should be based on risk, irrespective of cause and baseline LDL-C,” noted Prof. Catapano. “Combination therapies will provide robust LDL reductions and possibly mediate less adverse reaction to statin and better compliance to therapy.”
According to the World Health Organization, CVD is the leading cause of death worldwide, taking 17.9 million lives yearly. CVDs include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and other disorders of the heart and blood vessels. A heart attack or stroke is responsible for more than four out of five CVD deaths, and one-third occur in people under 70 years of age.
“Statin-ezetimibe combination provides aggressive additional LDL-C emerging as first line therapy in very-high risk populations. Additional LDL-C lowering conferred by the statin-ezetimibe combination translates into a reduction of CV outcomes,” explained Dr. Santos.
“Rosuvastatin-ezetimibe combination provides additional armamentarium in the fight for lower LDL-C goals with particular benefit in very high-risk populations.”
These guidelines provide patients with more opportunities to access quality healthcare services. Organon continuously supports this knowledge-sharing activity to educate women and provide them with better options.
