Bempedoic acid LDL-C lowering without adverse reactions

Abstract

Low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) causes atherosclerosis and increases patient risk for cardiovascular mortality. However, patients who cannot tolerate statins present a treatment challenge. Bempedoic acid, an oral once-daily drug that reduces cholesterol synthesis, may help close this treatment gap. A meta-analysis demonstrated that bempedoic acid provides a well-tolerated and effective therapeutic option for lipid lowering in patients with hyperlipidemia, both as monotherapy and in combination with various other lipid-lowering agents. Also, although bempedoic acid acts on the same pathway as statins, it does not cause the muscular adverse reactions associated with statins.