RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Hyperlipidemia: Management with Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) Inhibitors
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Medicine
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 628
OP 634
DO 10.3122/jabfm.2018.04.170447
VO 31
IS 4
A1 Shahreyar, Muhammed
A1 Salem, Salem A.
A1 Nayyar, Mannu
A1 George, Lekha K.
A1 Garg, Nadish
A1 Koshy, Santhosh K.G.
YR 2018
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/31/4/628.abstract
AB Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in United States. Hyperlipidemia is an independent and potentially reversible risk factor for coronary artery disease. The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, collectively known as statins, have been the mainstay of pharmacologic therapy. Their availability, ease of administration, low cost, and strong evidence behind safety and efficacy makes them one of the most widely prescribed lipid-lowering agents. However, some patients may be intolerant to statins, and few others suffer from very high serum levels of cholesterol in which statin therapy alone or in combination with other cholesterol-lowering agents is insufficient in reducing serum lipid levels to achieve desired levels. In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new family of lipid-lowering agents, collectively known as proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors.PCSK9 inhibitors are biologically active molecules that decrease serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared with statin therapy alone. They serve as an alternative to statins for patients who are intolerant to statin or as supplemental therapy in those patients for whom lower levels in serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol are not achieved by statins alone. This article discusses PCSK9 inhibitors, their mechanism of action, indications, efficacy, safety, costs and limitations.