Bempedoic acid, a new cholesterol-lowering agent

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2023 Nov 23;167:D7982.ABSTRACTStatins have been de cornerstone for the treatment of hyperlipidaemia for decades now. More recently the introduction of the PCSK9 inhibitors, inclisiran and even more recently bempedoic acid have given us new options for the treatment of hyperlipidaemia. Bempedoic acid is a prodrug which is metabolized in the liver and not in the peripheral tissues like muscles, this means that myalgia does not occur as a side effect. Its effect on the cholesterol synthesis occurs earlier in the chain of events than that of statins which work primarily via HMGcoA reductase. Other than that is has more or less the same effect as a statin. Next to cholesterol lowering effect it has a dampening effect on inflammation another important link in atherosclerosis. Bempedoic acid is cheap making it the drug of choice after statins and ezetimibe.PMID:38175561
Source: Atherosclerosis - Category: Cardiology Authors: Source Type: research