For years, treating dyslipidemia mainly focused on reducing LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) with statins, which had shown benefits in reducing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a form of apoB-containing lipoprotein bound to a hydrophilic, highly glycosylated protein called apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)]. Circulating levels of Lp(a) are genetically determined, and are hardly affected by eating habits…
AHA 2020 | Statins: Confirmed Benefits for the Elderly
Elderly patients (>70) with high cholesterol levels have been systematically excluded from randomized studies on statins, despite their higher risk of cardiovascular events. Presented at AHA 2020 Scientific Sessions and published simultaneously in the Lancet, along comes this primary prevention study including patients between 70 and 100 years of age. The use of therapies to…
Statins in Primary Prevention: As Questioned as Aspirin?
This new review, recently published in BMJ, questions the benefit of statins in low-risk primary prevention patients. Authors argue that statins should be more cautiously indicated in primary prevention, considering that their absolute benefit is almost marginal in low-risk patients. Changes in the European guidelines have translated into a wide expansion of patients eligible for…