The Role of Nutraceuticals in the Optimization of Lipid-Lowering Therapy in High-Risk Patients with Dyslipidaemia

AbstractPurpose of ReviewWe aimed to summarize recent guidelines, position papers, and high-quality clinical research relating the use of nutraceuticals in the management of individuals at high risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.Recent FindingsIt is essential that individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease receive guideline-directed evidence-based therapies to reduce their risk of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular events. Compared with conventional therapeutics, nutraceuticals have undergone relatively little investigation in randomized controlled trials. Thus, recommendations for nutraceuticals in international guidelines are rare, and nutraceuticals should not be used preferentially in place of statins. Nevertheless, recent position papers from the International Lipid Expert Panel and clinical evidence from studies of triglyceride reduction by polyunsaturated fatty acid administration demonstrate that nutraceuticals do have an important role in optimizing therapy in individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Roles for nutraceuticals include as follows: (1) managing residual risk associated with lipids other than low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C); (2) managing non-lipid-mediated residual risk; (3) optimizing LDL-C treatment in statin intolerance; (4) optimizing LCL-C treatment when add-on therapies for statins are not available; (5) as adjuncts to lifestyle for individuals at high lifetime risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascula...
Source: Current Atherosclerosis Reports - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research