Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is essential for the proper functioning of the human body. However, when cholesterol levels in the blood become too high, it can lead to serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems. Statins have been the go-to treatment for high cholesterol for many years, but they are not suitable for everyone due to side effects. A new study has shown that Nexletol, a different type of cholesterol-lowering drug, may be a viable option for people who are unable to take statins.
What is Nexletol?
Nexletol, also known as bempedoic acid, is a new type of cholesterol-lowering drug that was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2020. Unlike statins, which work by blocking an enzyme that produces cholesterol in the liver, Nexletol works by blocking a different enzyme that produces a precursor to cholesterol. By blocking this enzyme, Nexletol reduces the amount of cholesterol produced by the liver and, as a result, lowers the levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol in the blood.
The Study
The study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, involved 3,623 patients with high cholesterol who were unable to tolerate statins due to muscle pain. The participants were randomly assigned to take either Nexletol or a placebo pill once a day for one year. The results showed that the participants who took Nexletol had a 17% lower risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, compared to those who took the placebo. The study also found that Nexletol was well-tolerated by the participants, with few serious side effects reported.
Implications of the Study
The study is the first to show that Nexletol alone can reduce the risk of cholesterol-caused health problems. This is significant as up to 10% of people who qualify for statins cannot tolerate them due to serious muscle pain. This means that Nexletol could be a viable option for a significant number of people who have been unable to lower their cholesterol levels with traditional statin treatment.
Dr. Kausik Ray, a cardiologist and the lead author of the study, said, “This is the first trial to show that in people who are unable to tolerate a statin, there is still hope that we can reduce the risk of cardiovascular events with a different type of medication.” He also noted that Nexletol could be used in combination with other cholesterol-lowering drugs for people who need further cholesterol reduction.
