Apheresis: What Should a Clinician Know?

This article reviews recent apheresis research progresses, including apheresis for elevated LDL-cholesterol and elevated lipoprotein(a).Recent FindingsWhile the role of apheresis in treating more common forms of LDL-hypercholesterolemia has been reduced due to the development of new, very potent LDL-lowering drugs, it still plays an important role in treating patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and patients with severe lipoprotein(a) elevation. One apheresis session can decrease LDL-cholesterol, apoB, and lipoprotein(a) by approximately 65%, which results in a time averaged reduction of 30 –50%. Although time-consuming, and expensive regular apheresis is very well tolerated and has been proven safe for decades.SummaryApheresis remains a treatment option for severe dyslipidemia, especially in homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and elevated lipoprotein(a), if other forms of therapy fail to achieve targets.

Source: Current Atherosclerosis Reports - January 26, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research