Statins are the first-line treatment for lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease. However, some individuals cannot tolerate statins . Bempedoic acid affects the same biological pathways as statins, and unlike statins, it is activated in the liver, lowering the muscle-related adverse events commonly associated with statins .
Therefore, US researchers investigated the efficacy of bempedoic acid in reducing cardiovascular events in statin-intolerant patients. The study included 14,000 patients with LDL levels ≥ 100 mg/dL and either a prior cardiac event or risk factors for heart disease, who were randomized to take bempedoic acid (180 mg) or a placebo daily and followed for over three years. Bempedoic acid significantly reduced myocardial infarction (23%), coronary revascularization (19%), and the occurrence of a composite of death (15%) due to cardiovascular events,…
